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In the three-and-a-half years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the fragmented state of abortion access has put medical professionals in a precarious position. Many states have tightened abortion restrictions, with some enacting criminal penalties up to life in prison for physicians who perform abortions. Medical schools have curtailed abortion-related curricula.

New research led in part by the University of Washington found that the new restrictions are not only affecting the current medical workforce — they may be shaping the next generation of physicians. The study, published March 2 in JAMA Network Open, found that applications to medical residency programs in states that enacted new abortion restrictions dropped sharply following the Dobbs ruling.

The decrease occurred among both male and female applicants. Applications to specialties related to reproductive health — obstetrics and gynecology, family medicine, internal medicine and emergency medicine — saw the largest decreases.

The new study builds on previous research that had shown decreased application rates to residency programs in states with abortion restrictions by applying causal methodologies to understand the impact of the Supreme Court decision and isolating results from male and female applicants.

“This research provides important empirical evidence about how state-level policy changes following Dobbs may influence decisions made by medical trainees about where to pursue their graduate medical education,” said co-author Anirban Basu, a UW professor of health economics and director of the Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy, and Economics (CHOICE) Institute.

To learn more about the research, UW News sat down the paper’s three authors: Basu; lead author Dr. Anisha Ganguly, assistant professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and co-author Dr. Anna Morenz, assistant clinical professor of internal medicine at the University of Arizona. Both Ganguly and Morenz completed their internal medicine residencies at the UW School of Medicine.

The medical residency match process is quite different from traditional higher-ed applications. Can you explain how that works, and how it relates to your study’s findings?

Dr. Anna Morenz: Applicants may apply to as many programs as they want, with some applying to dozens of programs. At the end of interviews, they’ll rank those programs based on their preferred landing spots. The programs, in turn, will rank all the applicants that they received. A computer algorithm then matches everyone with the goal of filling all the residency slots, and it’s very good at that. We know that almost all open residency slots in the U.S. are filled. So programs are still filling their residency slots even in states with restrictions.

What concerns us about these findings is that there’s an early signal of people avoiding applications to these states. That has potential implications for the quality of the applicants to restricted states, which could not be assessed in our data. There’s typically a high likelihood that people stay where they train for their residency, but if you landed in a restricted state that was low on your rank list, you may be more likely to complete your training and then leave to a non-restricted state. We aim to look at this very important question in projects to come.

Anisha and Anna, you’re both practicing primary care physicians. How big a part of a physician’s training is abortion and other pregnancy-related care? 

Dr. Anisha Ganguly: It’s not a big part of our training traditionally, though there has been a movement to integrate more abortion care into primary care residencies. That’s more the case in family medicine rather than internal medicine, because medication abortion has now become the most common means for abortion care. As internists, we commonly diagnose pregnancies and care for women with medical conditions as they consider family planning.

AM: I do think it’s important to note that a huge percentage of primary care physicians are trained in family medicine. And family medicine physicians are trained in delivery of babies, management of prenatal care, miscarriage management, contraception and abortion. Anisha and I trained in internal medicine, and there is increasing interest to include medication abortion training in internal medicine, as it is fully within our scope of practice.

The effects of the Dobbs decision have been well-documented, and previous work on this topic highlighted changes in OB/GYN residency applications. What’s new in your study specifically? 

Anirban Basu: We had a much longer pre-period than previous studies. We looked back to 2019 to see what had been happening to application rates in these two kinds of states — those that eventually restricted abortion access and those that didn’t — and we showed that these rates had been moving similarly until the ruling. That gives a little more weight to the evidence to say the change is due to the ruling. 

The second big thing is that previous studies did not distinguish whether men and women were changing their behavior similarly. I think that’s a very important finding in our study, that male applicants are changing their behavior at an even higher rate. 

AG: I agree that the gender stratification was an important contribution. The other stratified analysis that we explored was about how specialty type may be driving some of the effects that we saw. A lot of people can reason that OB/GYN applicants would be affected by this directly, and there’s a lot of literature to support that. But what we’re showing is that it’s not just the OB/GYN workforce that’s going to be impacted. It’s the primary care workforce and the emergency medicine workforce. 

We’re hoping that message spreads a little more broadly. This is not just about women’s health. It’s about the future of primary care and the person who’s going to save you from your heart attack in the future.

Let’s talk a little more about that gender stratification. You found that male applicants changed their application preferences at a greater rate than female applicants, which looks like a surprising result. What’s going on there? 

AG: When we generated our original hypotheses, we thought we were going to see increased effects among women applying to residency, but we actually ended up seeing that there were long-term disparities that existed pre-Dobbs between restricted and non-restricted states. This was likely because of the laws targeting abortion providers and other state-level laws that were affecting women’s behavior. What we’re seeing is that women had been reading the tea leaves about access to reproductive health care prior to the Dobbs decision, but the decision did unmask a wider problem that drove a lot of new behavior among men.

One of the messages that we are getting from this paper is this is an “all of us” problem. It’s not just about women physicians. It’s about men who are also making choices about their professional autonomy and also about access to reproductive health care for their families. Women have been and will be considering their personal access to care and autonomy before this decision, but perhaps these state restrictions after Dobbs may have newly increased awareness among men. 

Among all these shifts, you found one group whose application rates didn’t change significantly: people applying to highly competitive medical specialities. What do you think explains that stickiness? 

AG: Anna and I had brainstormed about this being a potential effect modifier, because people who are applying in highly competitive specialties like orthopedic surgery or dermatology apply very broadly and don’t get to exercise a lot of choice about where to go. Whereas for large specialities like internal medicine, family medicine or pediatrics, there are a lot of programs in a lot of places, so applicants have more options. In those cases, state-level policies like abortion restrictions can factor more into people’s decision-making.

At an institutional level, what changes could be made to address these trends? 

AG: Institutions can make choices to mitigate some of these effects by supporting candidates with access to reproductive care within the scope of the restrictions that exist. Other industries are building in travel benefits for women who may need to travel to access these services. 

It’s not this aspect of a decision alone that shapes a residency applicant’s choice to go to a specific place or program. But there are other things that institutions can do to make trainees, particularly women, feel supported and valued. If you’re existing in an environment where state policies make women feel a lack of autonomy, then there are workforce policies that can be in place to bolster that sense of autonomy. That could take the shape of parental leave policies, lactation policies, other things that institutions can do to make women feel like, even if this part of your voice has been taken away, we’ll help you with the rest.

AB: One policy that has a long history of literature supporting it is financial incentives. Physicians do respond to financial incentives, but in many cases those incentives need to be quite steep to get people to change their decisions. 

AM: The other option is training opportunities. A lot of programs in states that had laws or restrictions that preceded the Dobbs decision would set up partnerships with organizations in another state where they could send their trainees to learn about pregnancy termination and miscarriage management. That’s a burden on residency programs and residents both. You have to set up housing and travel agreements. But that’s another key thing that programs need to keep in mind in order to recruit applicants. 

For more information or to contact the researchers, contact Alden Woods at acwoods@uw.edu.

Over five decades, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has become known as the nation’s first “food as medicine” program. Low-income families receiving WIC benefits — which provides nutritious food in designated categories, nutrition education and access to other social services — have fewer premature births and infant deaths, eat higher-quality diets, and are more likely to receive regular medical care. 

But many families who are income eligible to participate in WIC aren’t receiving those benefits. Research has found that households who don’t use the full amount of their nutrition benefits are more likely to drop from the program. 

New research by the University of Washington has found that households who redeem more of their benefits in the most popular food categories are more likely to remain in the program long-term. Better understanding these patterns could help WIC agencies identify families who might need a little extra encouragement to stay enrolled.

The study was published Dec. 3 in JAMA Network Open. 

“Finding ways to identify kids and families that are at risk of dropping out of the program is of high importance,” said Pia Chaparro, a UW assistant professor of health systems and population health and first author of the study. “That’s basically what we’ve identified — a way to flag families who may be at risk of dropping off.”

WIC provides families with food benefits in specific categories, with fruits and vegetables and eggs as the most popular. In partnership with Public Health Foundation Enterprises WIC (PHFE WIC), a Southern California WIC agency with a large research and evaluation division, researchers analyzed redemption data from 188,000 participating infants and children 0-3 years old, between the years 2019 and 2023. 

Among those children, higher redemption of fruits and vegetables, eggs, whole milk and infant formula was associated with lower risk of their household discontinuing WIC participation. 

The risk of discontinuation decreased in a somewhat linear fashion as redemption rates increased.

Chaparro hopes that local WIC agencies will build on these findings and seek new ways to engage families at risk of dropping off. All WIC providers must offer nutrition education, which could be an opportunity to target households with lower redemption rates in popular categories. 

The findings come just over a year after the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees WIC, implemented significant updates to the program’s food package. Among other changes, the 2024 rule significantly increased benefits for fresh fruits and vegetables, which has proven popular.

“The expansion of fruit and vegetable benefits for WIC families has been among the most important policy changes of the last decade,” said Shannon Whaley, director of research and evaluation at PHFE WIC and co-author of the study. “Families want more fruits and vegetables, and this research demonstrates that their inclusion in the WIC food package is essential for longer-term engagement in the program.”

Christopher Anderson of the University of Tennessee and PHFE WIC is the corresponding author. This study was funded by The Research Innovation and Development Grants in Economics (RIDGE) Partnership.

When uncontrolled wildfires moved from the foothills above Los Angeles into the densely populated urban areas below in January 2025, evacuation ensued and a thick layer of toxic smoke spread across the region. Air quality plummeted. Local hospitals braced for a surge, but it never came.  

Research led by the University of Washington and Kaiser Permanente Southern California sheds new light on how the Los Angeles fires affected people’s health, and how people navigated the health care system during an emergency. In the rapid study, published Nov. 26 in JAMA Health Forum, researchers analyzed the health records of 3.7 million Kaiser Permanente members of all ages living in the region. They found that health care visits did rise above normal levels, especially virtual services.  

In the week after the fires ignited, Kaiser Permanente members made 42% more virtual visits for respiratory symptoms than expected. Those living near a burn zone or within Los Angeles County also made 44% and 40% more virtual cardiovascular visits, respectively, than expected. 

In-person outpatient visits for respiratory symptoms also increased substantially. Members who lived near a burn zone or within Los Angeles County made 27% and 31% more virtual cardiovascular visits, respectively, than expected. 

Extrapolating to all insured residents of the county, the researchers estimated an excess of 15,792 cardiovascular virtual visits, 18,489 respiratory virtual visits and 27,903 respiratory outpatient visits in the first week of the fires. 

The results suggest that people may rely more heavily on virtual health care during climate-related emergencies, and that providers should better prioritize virtual and telehealth services as they prepare for future crises. 

“We saw over 6,241 excess cardiorespiratory virtual visits in the week following the fire ignition. This represents a substantial increase in care,” said Joan Casey, a UW associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences and of epidemiology who led the research. “While the fires clearly impacted health, virtual care likely enhanced the ability of providers to meet the health care needs of people experiencing an ongoing climate disaster.” 

In collaboration with Kaiser Permanente Southern California, an integrated health care system with millions of members across the region, researchers analyzed health records of people who were highly or moderately exposed to wildfires. They defined high exposure as living within about 12 miles (20 kilometers) of a burn zone, and moderate exposure as living within Los Angeles County but farther than 12 miles during the time of the fires.  

Researchers looked back three years to estimate how many health care visits to expect in the weeks following Jan. 7 — the first day of the fires — under typical conditions. They then estimated how many people sought care in the first week of the fires, when smoke levels were highest, evacuations took place, and Los Angeles County public schools were closed.

In addition to the spike in cardiovascular and respiratory visits, researchers found a sharp increase in the number of visits for injuries and neuropsychiatric symptoms. On Jan. 7, outpatient injury visits were 18% higher than expected among highly exposed members, and virtual injury visits were 26% and 18% higher than expected among highly and moderately exposed groups, respectively. Among those same groups, outpatient neuropsychiatric visits rose 31% and 28% above expectations, respectively.

While both groups made significantly more visits than expected, proximity to the fires mattered. When researchers zoomed in on respiratory-related virtual visits, they found that minimally exposed members made 31% more visits, moderately exposed members made 36% more, and those living in highly exposed areas made 42% more.  

“While healthcare systems often plan to increase the number of hospital beds available or clinic staffing during an emergency, this work highlights the importance of considering virtual care capacity,” said Lauren Wilner, a UW doctoral student of epidemiology and co-author on the study. “This may be particularly true for climate disasters like wildfires, during which people are advised to stay indoors or when people must evacuate — motivating them to seek care online if at all possible. As climate disasters increase in frequency and intensity, it is essential that health care systems know how to prepare for a sudden and dramatic surge in health care utilization.” 

Other authors on this study are Yuqian Gu, Gina Lee and Sara Tartof of Kaiser Permanente Southern California; Lara Schwarz of the University of California, Berkeley; Timothy Frankland of Kaiser Permanente Hawaii; Heather McBrien and Nina Flores of Columbia University; Chen Chen and Arnab Dey of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego; and Tarik Benmarhnia of the Scripps Institution and the University of Rennes in France.

This research was funded by the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences. 

For more information or to reach the research team, contact Alden Woods at acwoods@uw.edu.

About 10% of American babies are born prematurely. Birth before 37 weeks can lead to a cascade of health risks, both immediate and long-term, making prevention a vital tool for improving public health over generations. 

In recent years, researchers have identified a potential link between wildfire smoke — one of the fastest-growing sources of air pollution in the United States — and preterm birth, but no study has been big or broad enough to draw definitive conclusions. A new study led by the University of Washington makes an important contribution, analyzing data from more than 20,000 births to find that pregnant people who are exposed to wildfire smoke are more likely to give birth prematurely.

“Preventing preterm birth really pays off with lasting benefits for future health,” said lead author Allison Sherris, a UW postdoctoral researcher in environmental and occupational health sciences. “It’s also something of a mystery. We don’t always understand why babies are born preterm, but we know that air pollution contributes to preterm births, and it makes sense that wildfire smoke would as well. This study underscores that wildfire smoke is inseparable from maternal and infant health.”

In the study, published Nov. 3 in The Lancet Planetary Health, researchers used data from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program, a federal research project focused on how a wide range of environmental factors affect children’s health. The sample included 20,034 births from 2006-2020 across the contiguous United States.

Researchers estimated participants’ average daily exposure to fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, generated by wildfire smoke, and the total number of days they were exposed to any amount of smoke. They estimated the intensity of smoke exposure by how frequently participants were exposed to wildfire PM2.5 levels above certain thresholds.

They found that pregnant people exposed to more intense wildfire smoke were more likely to give birth prematurely. In mid-pregnancy, exposure to any smoke was associated with an elevated risk of preterm birth, with that risk peaking around the 21st week of gestation. In late pregnancy, elevated risk was most closely associated with exposure to high concentrations of wildfire PM2.5, above 10 micrograms per cubic meter.

“The second trimester is a period of pregnancy with the richest and most intense growth of the placenta, which itself is such an important part of fetal health, growth and development,” said co-author Dr. Catherine Karr, a UW professor of environmental and occupational health sciences and of pediatrics in the UW School of Medicine. “So it may be that the wildfire smoke particles are really interfering with placental health. Some of them are so tiny that after inhalation they can actually get into the bloodstream and get delivered directly into the placenta or fetus.” 

The link was strongest and most precise in the Western U.S., where people were exposed to the highest concentrations of wildfire PM2.5 and the greatest number of high-intensity smoke days. Here, the odds of preterm birth increased with each additional microgram per cubic meter of average wildfire PM2.5.

It’s possible those results were more precise simply because the West experiences more wildfire smoke on average, making the exposure model perform better, Sherris said. But there may be other factors behind the regional differences. 

The composition of wildfire smoke is different across the country. In the West, smoke tends to come from fires nearby, while in places like the Midwest, smoke has typically drifted in from faraway fires. Smoke’s toxicity changes as it ages and reacts with sunlight and airborne chemicals, which could have affected the results. Researchers also noted that external factors like co-occurring heat or housing quality may have effects that aren’t fully understood. 

Researchers hope that future studies will examine the exact mechanisms by which wildfire smoke might trigger preterm birth. But in the meantime, Sherris said, evidence for a link is now strong enough to take action. 

“There are a couple avenues for change,” Sherris said. “First, people already get a lot of public health messaging and information throughout pregnancy, so there’s an opportunity to work with clinicians to provide tools for pregnant people to protect themselves during smoke events. Public health agencies’ messaging about wildfire smoke could also be tailored to pregnant people and highlight them as a vulnerable group.”

Co-authors include Logan Dearborn, doctoral student of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW; Christine Loftus, clinical associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW; Adam Szpiro, professor of biostatistics at the UW; Joan Casey, associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences and of epidemiology at the UW; Sindana Ilango, postdoctoral fellow of epidemiology at the UW; and Marissa Childs, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW. A full list of co-authors is included with the paper.

This research was funded by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program at the National Institutes of Health under multiple awards. A full list of ECHO funding awards is included with the paper. 

For more information or to contact the researchers, email Alden Woods at acwoods@uw.edu.

Targeted drug delivery is a powerful and promising area of medicine. Therapies that pinpoint the exact areas of the body where they’re needed — and nowhere they’re not — can reduce the medicine dosage and avoid potentially harmful “off target” effects elsewhere in the body. A targeted immunotherapy, for example, might seek out cancerous tissues and activate immune cells to fight the disease only in those tissues.

The tricky part is making a therapy truly “smart,” where the medicine can move freely through the body and decide which areas to target.

Researchers at the University of Washington took a significant step toward that goal by designing proteins with autonomous decision-making capabilities. In a proof-of-principles study published Oct. 9 in Nature Chemical Biology, researchers demonstrated that by adding smart tail structures to therapeutic proteins, they could control the proteins’ localization based on the presence of specific environmental cues. These protein tails fold themselves into preprogrammed shapes that define how they react to different combinations of cues. In addition, the experiment showed that the smart protein tails could be attached to a carrier material for delivery to living cells.

Advances in synthetic biology also allowed the researchers to manufacture these proteins cheaply and in a matter of days instead of months.

“We’ve been thinking about these concepts for some time but have struggled with ways to increase and automate production,” said senior author Cole DeForest, a UW professor of chemical engineering and bioengineering. “We’ve now finally figured out how to produce these systems faster, at scale and with dramatically enhanced logical complexity. We are excited about how these will lead to more sophisticated and scalable disease-honing therapies.”

The concept of programmable biomaterials isn’t new. Scientists have developed numerous strategies to make systems responsive to individual cues — such as pH levels or the presence of specific enzymes — that are associated with a particular disease or area of the body. But it’s rare to find one cue, or “biomarker,” that’s unique to one spot, so a material that hones in on just one biomarker might act on a few unintended places in addition to the target.

One solution to this problem is to seek out a combination of biomarkers. There might be many areas of the body with particular enzyme or pH levels, but there are likely fewer areas with both of those factors. In theory, the more biomarkers a material can identify, the more finely targeted drug delivery can be.

In 2018, DeForest’s lab created a new class of materials that responded to multiple biomarkers using Boolean logic, a concept traditionally used in computer programming.

“We realized that we could program how therapeutics were released based simply on how they were connected to a carrier material,” DeForest said. “For example, if we linked a therapeutic cargo to a material via two degradable groups connected in series — that is, each after the other — it would be released if either group was degraded, acting as an OR gate. When the degradable groups were instead connected in parallel — that is, each on a different half of a cycle — both groups had to be degraded for cargo release, functioning as an AND gate. Excitingly, by combining these basic gates we could readily create advanced logical circuits.”

It was a big step forward, but it wasn’t scalable — the team built these large and complex logic-responsive materials manually through traditional organic chemistry.

But over the next several years, the related field of synthetic biology advanced by leaps and bounds.

“The field has developed exciting new protein-based tools that can allow researchers to form permanent bonds between proteins,” said co-first author Murial Ross, a UW doctoral student of bioengineering. “It opened doors for new protein structures that were previously unachievable, which made more complex logical operations possible.”

Additionally, it became practical to use living cells as factories to produce these complex proteins, allowing scientists to design custom DNA blueprints for new proteins, insert the DNA into bacteria or other host cells, and then collect the proteins with the desired structure directly from the cells.

With these new tools, DeForest and his team streamlined and improved many steps of the process at once. They designed and produced proteins with tails that spontaneously fold into more bespoke shapes, creating complex “circuits” that can respond to up to five different biomarkers. These new proteins can attach to various carriers — hydrogels, tiny beads or living cells — for delivery to a cell, or theoretically a disease site. The team even loaded up one carrier with three different proteins, each programmed to deliver their unique cargo based on different sets of environmental cues.

“We were so excited about the results,” DeForest said. “Using the old process, it would take months to synthesize just a few milligrams of each of these materials. Now it takes us a couple of weeks to go from construct design to product. It’s been a complete game changer for us.”

“The sky’s the limit. You can create delayed and independent delivery of many different components in one treatment,” Ross said. “And I think we could create much, much larger logical circuits that a protein can be responsive to. We’re at the point now that the technology is outpacing what we’ve seriously considered in terms of applications, which is a great place to be.”

The researchers will now continue searching for more biomarkers that proteins could target. They also hope to start collaborating with other labs at the UW and beyond to build and deploy real-world therapies.

The team outlined other uses for the technology as well. The same tools could manufacture therapies within a single cell and direct them to specific regions, a sort of microcosm of how the process works in the body. DeForest also envisions diagnostic tools like blood tests that could, say, turn a certain color when a complex set of cues within the blood sample are present.

DeForest thinks the first practical applications are likely to be cancer treatments, but with more research, the possibilities feel endless.

“The dream is to be able to pick any arbitrary location inside of the body — down to individual cells — and program a material to go and act there,” he said. “That’s a tall order, but with these technologies we’re getting closer. With the right combination of biomarkers, these materials will just get more and more precise.”

Co-authors include Annabella Li, a former UW undergraduate student of chemical engineering; Shivani Kottantharayil, a UW undergraduate student of bioengineering; and Jack Hoye, a UW doctoral student of chemical engineering.

This research was funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.

For more information, contact DeForest at profcole@uw.edu. 

• In a study including nearly 500 pregnant women in three U.S. cities from 2020-2025, sedentary behavior, sleep and physical activity across a 7-day, 24-hour timeframe during each trimester were measured. The amount of time spent sitting and doing light physical activity were found to be the main predictors of developing blood pressure-related conditions (hypertensive disorders) of pregnancy, such as gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.
• Women who limited their sedentary time to about eight hours a day and engaged in at least seven hours of light physical activity, and on average, 22 minutes of higher intensity activity and nine hours of sleep daily had a 30% lower risk of developing hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
• The researchers say more research is needed to test whether helping pregnant women sit less and move more throughout the day can reduce their risk of developing a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy.
• Note: The study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts presented at the American Heart Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Embargoed until 11:00 a.m. ET/10:00 a.m. CT, Thursday, March 19, 2026

BOSTON, March 19, 2026 — During pregnancy, women can reduce their risk of developing a hypertensive disorder by nearly 30% by limiting sedentary time to no more than eight hours a day and increasing light, everyday physical activity to at least seven hours a day, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026. The meeting is in Boston, March 17-20, 2026, and offers the latest science on population-based health, epidemiology, prevention, lifestyle and cardiometabolic health.

“Our study suggests that in the real world, where daily routines vary widely, it may actually be the balance of sitting time and light intensity movement across the entire day that matters most,” said lead study author Kara Whitaker, Ph.D., M.P.H., FAHA, an associate professor in the department of health, sport and human physiology at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. “This doesn’t mean exercise isn’t beneficial—rather, that when it comes to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, everyday movement and limiting long periods of sitting may play a bigger role than we previously understood.”

According to the American Heart Association, high blood pressure during pregnancy and other adverse pregnancy conditions are associated with an increased risk of future cardiovascular disease. While physical activity and sleep patterns are related to cardiovascular disease risk, there has not been a lot of research on how 24-hour activity patterns during pregnancy can impact the risk of hypertension.

High blood pressure develops in up to 5%-10% of all pregnancies and is the leading cause of fetal and maternal disease and death. This study aimed to identify optimal 24-hour behavioral and activity patterns across pregnancy trimesters that are associated with the lowest risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

The study results found:

• Of the 470 study participants, 18.6% of the women developed hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (gestational hypertension or preeclampsia).
• Sedentary behaviors and light physical activity were the strongest predictors of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy risk across all trimesters of pregnancy.
• The lowest-risk daily pattern of activity included about six hours of sitting, nearly eight hours of light physical activity, four minutes of higher‑intensity activity (traditional exercise) and roughly 10 hours of time spent resting. This daily pattern was linked to an 8% chance of having hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, compared to 16.9% observed among those with a typical daily pattern.
• Compared to typical daily movement patterns, the optimal combination of activity reduced a woman’s risk of high blood pressure-related conditions during pregnancy by more than half. When compared to the least healthy daily movement patterns measured in the study, the optimal activity combination reduced risk by nearly 80%.
• The risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy rose for those who sat more than 10 hours per day or if there was less than five hours per day of light activity.
• These findings highlight sitting time and light physical activity as key modifiable behaviors that may help prevent the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, which, in turn, may have important implications for women’s lifelong heart health.

“Both sedentary behavior and hypertension in pregnancy are increasingly common, and in non-pregnant individuals we know that physical activity is associated with reductions in blood pressure,” said Natalie A. Bello, M.D., M.P.H., an American Heart Association volunteer expert and member of the writing groups for AHA’s scientific statement, Prevention and Treatment of Maternal Stroke in Pregnancy and Postpartum, as well as Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults.  “The researchers extend this to the pregnant population where nearly 20% of participants developed a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. They saw incremental associations between more physical activity and lower risk of developing preeclampsia or gestational hypertension. It remains to be seen whether this association is causal, and future studies designed to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior in pregnancy are needed.” Bello, who was not involved with this study, is an associate professor of cardiology at the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and director of women’s cardiovascular health & cardiology at Atria Health and Research Institute, both in Los Angeles.

The study results align with the American Heart Association’s Life Essential 8 for Pregnancy recommendations, which encourage women to find ways to move throughout the day, get adequate sleep, eat healthy foods, manage cholesterol and blood sugar, as well as monitor blood pressure.

“These findings have the potential to shift how we think about physical activity and sleep during pregnancy,” said Whitaker. “Right now, there are no clear, quantitative guidelines for how much sitting or light intensity movement is healthiest during pregnancy, and our results provide early evidence that could help shape those recommendations in the future. Ultimately, this line of research could give patients and clinicians more practical, achievable ways to support healthier pregnancies.”

Study details, background and design:

• The study included 470 women, ages 18 to 45 years; 83% self-reported as non-Hispanic white. The participants were enrolled in the study from 2021 to 2024 at three health care centers in Iowa, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
• The women were all in their first trimester of pregnancy (prior to 13 weeks gestation) at enrollment, and they were followed until 6 weeks after delivery.
• Each study participant wore two monitors for 24 hours for seven consecutive days during each trimester of their pregnancy to measure sedentary behavior, sleep and the 24-hour activity cycle (composition of sedentary behavior, physical activity and sleep). This data was analyzed with health records related to hypertensive disorders and other adverse pregnancy outcomes.
• Activity was measured using a small, wearable monitor that tracked the amount of time spent lying down, sitting, standing and walking. A watch assessed the participants’ sleep duration.
• The rates of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia were noted from the study participants’ medical records, and statistical models were used to predict the risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy based on data from the 24-hour movement behaviors and calculated by trimester.

The study had several limitations, including that the study participants were mostly white and tended to have higher education and income levels, so the results may not reflect the experiences of people in other population groups. In addition, because the number of cases of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy was relatively small, study researchers were not able to analyze rates of preeclampsia and gestational hypertension separately, and these two medical conditions may have different relationships with physical activity. The authors note that studies with more participants and people from other population groups are needed to confirm the findings and to better understand how specific physical activity patterns may correlate to different hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the abstract.

Statements and conclusions of studies that are presented at the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. Abstracts presented at the Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, rather, they are curated by independent review panels and are considered based on the potential to add to the diversity of scientific issues and views discussed at the meeting. The findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

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Additional Resources:

• Multimedia is available on the right column of the release link.
• After March 19, view abstract 27 in the EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026 Online Program Planner.
• AHA news release: Risk factors for cardiovascular disease negatively impact health during, after pregnancy (Oct. 2025)
• AHA health initiative: Sedentary Behavior and Light-Intensity Physical Activity During Pregnancy and Cardiovascular Health: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association (April 2025)
• AHA news release: Personalized screening early in pregnancy may improve preeclampsia detection (May 2024)
• AHA scientific statement: Opportunities in the Postpartum Period to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Risk After Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association (Feb. 2024)
• AHA scientific statement: Optimizing Prepregnancy Cardiovascular Health to Improve Outcomes in Pregnant and Postpartum Individuals and Offspring: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (Feb. 2023)
• AHA scientific statement: Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Cardiovascular Risk: Unique Opportunities for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Women: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (April 2021)
• For more news from AHA EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026, follow us on X @HeartNews, #EPILifestyle26.

The American Heart Association’s EPI|LIFESTYLE Scientific Sessions is the world’s premier meeting dedicated to the latest advances in population-based science. The meeting is Tuesday-Friday, March 17-20, 2026, in Boston. The primary goal of the meeting is to promote the development and application of translational and population science to prevent heart disease and stroke and foster cardiovascular health. The sessions focus on risk factors, obesity, nutrition, physical activity, genetics, metabolism, biomarkers, subclinical disease, clinical disease, healthy populations, global health and prevention-oriented clinical trials. The Councils on Epidemiology and Prevention and Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health (Lifestyle) jointly planned the EPI|Lifestyle 2026 Scientific Sessions. Follow the conference on X at #EPILifestyle26.

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

###

For Media Inquiries and American Heart Association Expert Perspective: 

AHA Communications & Media Relations in Dallas: 214-706-1173; ahacommunications@heart.org

Kelsey Beveridge: Kelsey.Beveridge@heart.org  

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

• Los adultos con prediabetes a principios de los 30 años que tenían niveles altos de glucemia en ayunas, además de otros factores de riesgo como obesidad, colesterol alto o presión arterial alta, tenían el riesgo más alto de desarrollar diabetes tipo 2.
• Las personas que presentaban niveles altos de glucosa en ayunas (100-125 mg/dl) y cumplían con los requisitos para recibir un tratamiento con un medicamento agonista del péptido similar al glucagón de tipo 1 (GLP-1RA, por sus siglas en inglés) tenían más probabilidades de experimentar una progresión de la prediabetes a la diabetes tipo 2 en un plazo de cinco años.
• El uso de los resultados de los análisis de sangre y los factores de riesgo para identificar a los adultos jóvenes con prediabetes que tienen mayor riesgo de experimentar una progresión a diabetes tipo 2 puede ayudar a acelerar el tratamiento para aquellas personas que se beneficiarían de intervenciones intensivas en el estilo de vida y, en algunos casos, de un tratamiento con medicamentos de pérdida de peso.
• Nota: El estudio que se presenta en este comunicado de prensa es un resumen de investigación. Los resúmenes que se presentan en las reuniones científicas de la American Heart Association (Asociación Americana del Corazón) no son revisados por expertos, y los hallazgos se consideran preliminares hasta que se publiquen como un artículo completo en una revista profesional científica revisada por expertos.

Prohibida su publicación hasta las 4:00 p.m., ET /3:00 p.m., CT, del martes 17 de marzo del 2026

Este comunicado de prensa refleja los datos actualizados proporcionados por el grupo de investigación y se alinea con su presentación del póster en EPI.

BOSTON, 17 de marzo del 2026 — Un enfoque único para todos en el tratamiento de la prediabetes puede pasar por alto la oportunidad de implementar un enfoque de prevención temprano, personalizado y más intensivo para las personas con el riesgo más alto para desarrollar diabetes tipo 2, según la investigación preliminar presentada en las Sesiones Científicas EPI|Lifestyle del 2026 (sitio web en inglés) de la American Heart Association. La reunión se lleva a cabo en Boston, del 17 al 20 de marzo del 2026, y ofrece los últimos avances científicos sobre ciencia epidemiológica de prevención, estilo de vida y salud cardiometabólica.

Los diagnósticos de diabetes tipo 2 y prediabetes están aumentando en adultos de 40 años y menos. Las complicaciones de la diabetes tipo 2 incluyen enfermedades cardíacas, enfermedad renal y ataque o derrame cerebral, además de que puede dañar los nervios del cerebro, los ojos y los pies.

“Sabemos que, en conjunto, las personas con prediabetes tienen un mayor riesgo de experimentar una progresión a diabetes tipo 2 y sus complicaciones. La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos (FDA, por sus siglas en inglés) de los Estados Unidos aprobó el tratamiento con los nuevos medicamentos de pérdida de peso, llamados agonistas del receptor de GLP-1 (GLP-1RA), para pacientes seleccionados que cumplan con ciertos criterios. Usamos estos criterios existentes para estimar el riesgo de desarrollar diabetes tipo 2 en adultos jóvenes con niveles de glucosa en el rango de la prediabetes”, explicó Mary Rooney, Ph.D., M.P.H., autora principal del estudio y profesora asistente de investigación en el Departamento de Epidemiología de la Facultad de Salud Pública Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health en Baltimore.

Algunos medicamentos GLP-1RA están aprobados por la FDA para personas con diabetes tipo 2 y otros para facilitar la pérdida de peso cuando la dieta y el ejercicio no fueron efectivos. Los criterios de elegibilidad para recetar medicamentos GLP-1RA para la pérdida de peso incluyen obesidad (índice de masa corporal de 30 kg/m² o más), o sobrepeso (índice de masa corporal de 27 kg/m²), además de al menos una afección relacionada, como presión arterial alta o colesterol alto. Los medicamentos GLP-1RA no están aprobados por la FDA para la prevención de la diabetes tipo 2 en personas con prediabetes.

Para su análisis, los investigadores estimaron el riesgo de 5 años de progresión de prediabetes a diabetes tipo 2 en 662 adultos jóvenes. Se realizó un seguimiento a los participantes durante un promedio de siete años en uno de los tres estudios realizados en EE. UU. que se centraron en la salud y el riesgo de enfermedades cardíacas de los adultos jóvenes.

En el análisis, se reveló lo siguiente:

• El riesgo de progresión de la prediabetes a la diabetes tipo 2 a 5 años fue del 7.5% en general.
• El riesgo aumentó al 10.9% en las personas que cumplían con los criterios para recibir tratamiento con un medicamento GLP-1RA para la pérdida de peso.
• Además, el riesgo a 5 años aumentó en un 15.1% para las personas con niveles más altos de glucosa en ayunas (de 110 a 125 mg/dl) y en un 24.8% para las personas con niveles altos de glucosa en ayunas y que cumplían con los criterios para recibir tratamiento con un medicamento GLP-1RA.

“Los enfoques actuales para la prevención de la diabetes tipo 2 siguen un modelo único para todos. Nuestros resultados señalan que algunas personas con prediabetes tienen un mayor riesgo de experimentar una progresión a diabetes tipo 2. Estos son los pacientes que pueden beneficiarse de un tratamiento más dirigido e intensivo que otros”, afirmó Rooney.

Según la American Heart Association (sitio web en inglés), los cambios en el estilo de vida, como reducir de peso, alimentarse de forma saludable y realizar actividad física moderada de forma regular, pueden reducir la progresión de la prediabetes a diabetes tipo 2, ayudar a controlar la diabetes tipo 2 y mitigar otros factores de riesgo como la presión arterial alta, además de los ataques cardíacos y los ataques o derrames cerebrales.

En el estudio, también se plantea la posibilidad de que los medicamentos GLP-1RA podrían ser beneficiosos para prevenir la progresión a diabetes tipo 2 en personas con prediabetes que cumplan con las mediciones del índice de masa corporal (IMC) para sobrepeso u obesidad y otras afecciones de salud relacionadas con el peso.

“Sin embargo, aún no se conoce la relación costo-eficacia de los medicamentos GLP-1RA para la prevención de la diabetes tipo 2, en particular en los subgrupos con el riesgo más alto para diabetes tipo 2”, comentó Rooney.

"Los diferentes grupos de personas con diabetes tipo 2 pueden necesitar estrategias de prevención diferentes según su nivel de riesgo”, afirmó el Dr. Joshua J. Joseph, M.P.H., FAHA, ASCI, un experto voluntario de la American Heart Association y presidente del Comité de Diabetes y Estilo de Vida para el Consejo de Estilo de Vida y Salud Cardiometabólica de la Asociación. “El próximo paso sería estudiar a un grupo de personas más grande y diverso para que podamos comprender mejor cómo factores como el lugar de residencia, ya sea rural o urbano, los antecedentes y la comunidad influyen en el riesgo. Estos hallazgos respaldan la idea de que actuar temprano, antes de que la diabetes tipo 2 y las afecciones relacionadas del corazón y los riñones se vuelvan más graves, mediante cambios saludables en el estilo de vida y, cuando sea necesario, medicamentos para reducir el riesgo, de acuerdo con el marco del síndrome metabólico-renal-cardiovascular, que da prioridad a la intervención temprana”. Joseph, que no estuvo involucrado en este estudio, es profesor asociado de medicina interna y el profesor titular de investigación en medicina interna del The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center en Columbus, Ohio.

Detalles, antecedentes o diseño del estudio: 

• En el estudio, se incluyeron 662 adultos jóvenes de tres estudios en los EE. UU.: el estudio de salud de la comunidad hispana/estudio de latinos, el estudio Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study y el estudio Framingham Heart Study Third Generation.
• Entre los participantes se incluyeron adultos de entre los 18 y los 40 años (edad media de 32 años) con prediabetes. El 33% de todos los participantes fueron mujeres; el 47% se autoidentificó como hispano o latino; el 45% se autoidentificó como persona de raza blanca no hispana, y el 7% se autoidentificó como persona de raza negra no hispana.
• Se midió la información de salud, incluidos los niveles de glucosa en ayunas, el peso, el índice de masa corporal, los niveles de lípidos y la presión arterial, durante las consultas del estudio entre 1985 y el 2011, todas antes de la primera aprobación de la FDA de los medicamentos GLP-1RA para la pérdida de peso. 
• Durante un seguimiento promedio de alrededor de siete años, los investigadores analizaron cómo los factores de riesgo influían en el riesgo de 5 años de progresar de prediabetes a diabetes tipo 2.  

Los hallazgos del estudio son limitados, ya que no estaban disponibles los análisis de sangre de hemoglobina A1c de los participantes, que miden los niveles de azúcar en sangre durante los últimos 2 a 3 meses. La hemoglobina A1c también se puede usar para definir la prediabetes. Solo se incluyeron pruebas de glucosa en ayunas en el análisis.

Los coautores, las divulgaciones y las fuentes de financiamiento se indican en el resumen.

Las afirmaciones y conclusiones de los estudios que se presentan en las reuniones científicas de la American Heart Association/American Stroke Association son exclusivas de los autores de estos estudios y no constituyen necesariamente la política ni la posición de la Asociación. La Asociación no ofrece ninguna declaración ni garantía de ningún tipo en cuanto a su exactitud o confiabilidad. Los resúmenes que se presentan en las reuniones científicas de la Asociación no son revisados por expertos, sino que los paneles de revisión independientes los seleccionan y consideran en función del potencial que tengan de ser un aporte a la diversidad de temas y opiniones científicos analizados en la reunión. Los hallazgos se consideran preliminares hasta que se publiquen como un artículo completo en una revista profesional científica revisada por expertos.

La Asociación recibe más de un 85% de sus ingresos de fuentes que no son empresas. Estas fuentes incluyen contribuciones de personas particulares, fundaciones y patrimonios, así como ganancias por inversiones e ingresos por la venta de nuestros materiales informativos. Las empresas (incluidas las farmacéuticas, los fabricantes de dispositivos y otras compañías) también realizan donaciones a la Asociación. La Asociación tiene políticas estrictas para evitar que las donaciones influyan en el contenido científico y en las posturas de sus políticas. La información financiera general está disponible aquí (sitio web en inglés).

Recursos adicionales:

Las Sesiones Científicas EPI|LIFESTYLE de la American Heart Association es la reunión más importante del mundo dedicada a los últimos avances en ciencia de la población. La reunión se realiza del martes 17 al viernes 20 de marzo del 2026 en Boston. El objetivo principal de la reunión es promover el desarrollo y la aplicación de la ciencia traslacional y de la población para prevenir enfermedades cardíacas y ataques o derrames cerebrales, y fomentar la salud cardiovascular. Las sesiones se centran en los factores de riesgo, la obesidad, la nutrición, la actividad física, la genética, el metabolismo, los biomarcadores, la enfermedad subclínica, la enfermedad clínica, las poblaciones saludables, la salud global y los ensayos clínicos orientados a la prevención. Los Consejos de Epidemiología y Prevención y de Estilo de Vida y Salud Cardiometabólica (Estilo de vida) planificaron conjuntamente las Sesiones Científicas EPI|Lifestyle del 2026. Siga la conferencia en X en #EPILifestyle26.

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Acerca de la American Heart Association

La American Heart Association es una fuerza incansable para un mundo de vidas más largas y saludables. La organización ha sido una fuente líder de información sobre salud durante más de cien años y su objetivo es garantizar la equidad en la salud en todas las comunidades. Con el apoyo de más de 35 millones de voluntarios en todo el mundo, financiamos investigaciones vanguardistas, defendemos la salud pública y proporcionamos recursos fundamentales para salvar y mejorar vidas afectadas por enfermedades cardiovasculares y ataques o derrames cerebrales. Trabajamos incansablemente para hacer avanzar la salud y transformar vidas cada día mediante el impulso de avances y la implementación de soluciones comprobadas en las áreas de ciencia, políticas y cuidados. Comuníquese con nosotros en heart.org (sitio web en inglés), Facebook o X, o llame al 1-800-AHA-USA1.

Para consultas con los medios de comunicación de la American Heart Association: 214-706-1173; ahacommunications@heart.org

Kelsey Beveridge: Kelsey.Beveridge@heart.org

Para consultas públicas: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org (sitio web en inglés) y derramecerebral.org  

• Excess fat stored around the waist (belly weight or visceral fat), indicated by measuring waist size, was more strongly associated with heart failure risk than body mass index (BMI).
• Systemic inflammation played a key role in the relationship between extra weight stored around the waist, or central obesity, and heart failure. About one-quarter to one-third of the link between abdominal fat and heart failure appeared to be explained by inflammation.
• The mediating role of inflammation in the association between central obesity and heart failure suggests that reducing inflammation levels may be a potential treatment strategy to reduce the risk of heart failure in these individuals.
• Note: The study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts presented at the American Heart Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Embargoed until 4:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. CT, Tuesday, March 17, 2026

BOSTON, March 17, 2026 — New research suggests that measures of excess weight around the waist (central obesity or visceral fat) may increase the risk of heart failure primarily due to inflammation, according to findings presented at the American Heart Association’s EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026. The meeting is in Boston, March 17-20, and offers the latest epidemiological science on prevention, lifestyle and cardiometabolic health.

In this study, researchers found that measurements of higher levels of visceral fat were more strongly linked to heart failure risk than overall body weight, and higher waist measurements identified higher risk even when body mass index (BMI) appeared normal. The study found that inflammation may help explain why belly fat is especially harmful to heart health, suggesting that where fat is stored in the body may matter more than weight. These findings point to opportunities to identify people at higher risk of heart failure using waist measurements rather than relying only on BMI.

“This research helps us understand why some people develop heart failure despite having a body weight that seems healthy,” said Szu-Han Chen, lead author of the study and a medical student at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan. “By monitoring waist size and inflammation, clinicians may be able to identify people with higher risk earlier and focus on prevention strategies that could reduce the chance of heart failure before symptoms begin.”

According to a 2025 scientific statement from the American Heart Association focused on risk-based primary prevention of heart failure, systemic inflammation, or inflammation found throughout the body, is a common risk factor for heart disease because it can disrupt the immune system, damage blood vessels and lead to the build up of scar tissue in the heart. The Association has also highlighted evidence that higher levels of inflammation in the body are linked to an increased risk of heart disease, even in adults with normal cholesterol levels.

The study found:

• 112 adults developed heart failure during the median follow-up period of 6.9 years;
• elevated measurements of excess weight around the waist were associated with increased heart failure risk, while high BMI was not;
• higher waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio were each associated with increased heart failure risk;
• over the follow-up period of almost 7 years, participants with higher inflammation levels, as measured by blood tests, were more likely to experience heart failure; and
• inflammation accounted for about one-quarter to one-third of the link between measures of fat stored around the waist and heart failure risk.

“This study highlights the importance of integrating measures of central adiposity such as waist circumference into routine preventive care. Understanding upstream drivers of heart failure risk including central adiposity is key to recognizing and modifying risk,“ said Sadiya S. Khan, M.D., M.Sc., FAHA, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association’s 2025 Scientific Statement: Risk-Based Primary Prevention of Heart Failure. “This study builds on prior research that highlights the importance of excess or dysfunctional adiposity in the development of heart failure, which informed the inclusion of body mass index into the PREVENT-HF risk equations to estimate risk of heart failure. However, future research should identify if central adiposity has greater predictive utility beyond strength of association.” Khan, who was not involved in the study, is also Magerstadt Professor of Cardiovascular Epidemiology and an associate professor of cardiology and preventive medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

The researchers noted that they did not have access to participants’ heart failure subtypes, therefore, the findings are about all types of heart failure together. Future research should examine how visceral fat and inflammation relate to different types of heart failure and whether reducing inflammation can help prevent or reduce the risk of heart failure.

Study details, background and design:  

• Analysis included health data for 1,998 African American adults in three counties in urban and rural Jackson, Mississippi, enrolled in the Jackson Heart Study. Participants did not have heart failure at the time of enrollment in the Jackson Heart Study, 2000-2004.
• Participants were ages 35-84 years old at enrollment, with an average age of 58 years; 36% were women, and they were followed for a median of 6.9 years, through December 31, 2016.
• Researchers assessed participants’ body fat using measures including weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio.
• Blood samples were tested to measure high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a commonly used marker of inflammation in the body.
• This study was conducted under the guidance of Professor Hao-Min Cheng at Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University.

The American Heart Association recently launched the Systemic Inflammation Data Challenge to encourage collaboration and deepen understanding of how inflammation contributes to heart disease and related conditions including heart failure.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the abstract.

Statements and conclusions of studies that are presented at the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. Abstracts presented at the Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, rather, they are curated by independent review panels and are considered based on the potential to add to the diversity of scientific issues and views discussed at the meeting. The findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content and policy positions. Overall financial information is available here.

Additional Resources:

• Multimedia is available on the right column of the release link.
• After March 17, view abstract 72 in the EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026 Online Program Planner
• American Heart Association Scientific Statement news release: More resources and collaboration needed to support prevention and treatment of obesity (Jan. 2026)
• American Heart Association news release: Data challenge explores inflammation’s hidden role in heart disease (June 2025)
• American Heart Association Scientific Statement: Risk-Based Primary Prevention of Heart Failure (April 2025)
• American Heart Association news release: Measure of body roundness may help to predict risk of cardiovascular disease (Sept. 2024)
• American Heart Association health information: Simple ways to reduce inflammation and protect your heart
• American Heart Association health information: What is Heart Failure?
• For more news from the meeting, follow us on X @HeartNews, #EPILifestyle26.

The American Heart Association’s EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions is the world’s premier meeting dedicated to the latest advances in population-based science. The meeting is Tuesday-Friday, March 17-20, 2026, in Boston. The primary goal of the meeting is to promote the development and application of translational and population science to prevent heart disease and stroke and foster cardiovascular health. The sessions focus on risk factors, obesity, nutrition, physical activity, genetics, metabolism, biomarkers, subclinical disease, clinical disease, healthy populations, global health, and prevention-oriented clinical trials. The Councils on Epidemiology and Prevention and Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health (Lifestyle) jointly planned the EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026. Follow EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026 on X at #EPILifestyle26.

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

###

For Media Inquiries and American Heart Association Perspective:

AHA Communications & Media Relations in Dallas: 214-706-1173; ahacommunications@heart.org

Michelle Kirkwood: Michelle.Kirkwood@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

• Adults with prediabetes by their early 30s who had high fasting glucose levels, in addition to other risk factors such as obesity, high cholesterol or high blood pressure, had the highest risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
• Individuals who had high fasting glucose levels (100-125 mg/dL) and who met the criteria for treatment with a GLP-1RA medication were more likely to progress from prediabetes to Type 2 diabetes within five years.
• Using blood test results and risk factors to identify which young adults with prediabetes had the highest risk of progressing to Type 2 diabetes may help accelerate treatment for those who would benefit from intensive lifestyle interventions and, in some cases, treatment with weight-loss medications.
• Note: The study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts presented at the American Heart Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Embargoed until 4:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. CT, Tuesday, March 17, 2026

This news release reflects updated data provided by the research group and aligns with their poster presentation at EPI.

BOSTON, March 17, 2026 — A one-size-fits-all approach to prediabetes treatment may miss the opportunity to implement an early, more intensive, tailored prevention approach for those with the highest risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026. The meeting is in Boston, March 17-20, 2026, and offers the latest science on epidemiological science on prevention, lifestyle and cardiometabolic health.

Diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes are on the rise in adults 40 years old and younger. Complications from Type 2 diabetes include heart disease, kidney disease and stroke, and it can also damage nerves in the brain, eyes and feet.

“We know that as a whole, people with prediabetes are at higher risk for progression to Type 2 diabetes and its complications. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved treatment with the new weight-loss medications, called GLP-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1RA), for select patients who meet certain criteria. We used these existing criteria to estimate the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in young adults with glucose levels in the prediabetes range,” said Mary Rooney, Ph.D., M.P.H., lead author of the study and an assistant research professor in the department of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.

Some GLP-1 RA medications are FDA-approved for people with Type 2 diabetes and others to help facilitate weight loss when diet and exercise have not been effective. The eligibility criteria for prescribing GLP-1 RA medications for weight loss include obesity (body mass index of 30 kg/m² or higher), or overweight (body mass index of 27 kg/m²) plus at least one related condition, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. GLP-1 RA medications are not FDA-approved for the prevention of Type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes.

For their analysis, investigators estimated the 5-year risk of progression from prediabetes to Type 2 diabetes in 662 young adults. Participants were followed for an average of seven years through one of three U.S.-based studies focused on young adult health and heart disease risk.

The analysis found:

• The 5-year risk of progression from prediabetes to Type 2 diabetes was 7.5% overall.
• The risk increased to 10.9% for individuals who met the criteria for treatment with a GLP-1RA medication for weight loss.
• In addition, the 5-year risk grew to 15.1% for those with higher levels of fasting glucose (110-125 mg/dL), and 24.8% for those with a higher fasting glucose and who met the criteria for treatment with a GLP-1 RA medication.

“Current approaches to Type 2 diabetes prevention are ‘one-size-fits-all.’ Our results signal that some people with prediabetes have a higher risk of progressing to Type 2 diabetes. These are the patients who may benefit from more targeted, intensive treatment than others,” said Rooney.

According to the American Heart Association, lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, eating healthy and engaging in regular, moderate physical activity, may reduce the progression of prediabetes to Type 2 diabetes, help manage Type 2 diabetes and mitigate other risk factors like high blood pressure, as well as heart attacks and stroke.

The study also raises the possibility that GLP-1 RA medications might be beneficial to prevent progression to Type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes who meet the BMI measures for overweight or obesity and other weight-related health conditions.

“However, the cost-effectiveness of GLP-1 RA medications for Type 2 diabetes prevention, particularly in subgroups with the highest risk for Type 2 diabetes, is not yet known,” said Rooney.

"Different groups of people with Type 2 diabetes may need different prevention strategies based on their level of risk,” said Joshua J. Joseph, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, ASCI, an American Heart Association volunteer expert and chair of the Lifestyle Diabetes Committee for the Association’s Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health. “A next step would be to study a larger and more diverse group of people so we can better understand how factors like where someone lives, such as a rural or urban setting, their background and their community influence risk. These findings support the idea of acting early, before Type 2 diabetes and related heart or kidney conditions become more serious, using healthy lifestyle changes and, when needed, medications to lower risk, consistent with the cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome framework, which prioritizes early intervention.” Joseph, who was not involved in this study, is an associate professor of internal medicine and the endowed professor for research in internal medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Study details, background or design: 

• The study included 662 young adults from three studies in the U.S.: the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study and the Framingham Heart Study Third Generation.
• Participants included adults ages 18-40 (mean age of 32 years) with prediabetes. 33% of all participants were women; 47% self-identified as Hispanic/Latino, 45% self-identified as non-Hispanic White and 7% self-identified as non-Hispanic Black.
• Health information, including fasting glucose levels, weight and body mass index, lipid levels and blood pressure, was measured during study visits between 1985 and 2011, all prior to the first FDA approval of GLP-1 RA medications for weight loss. 
• During a median follow-up period of about seven years, researchers analyzed how the various risk factors influenced the 5-year risk of progressing from prediabetes to Type 2 diabetes.  

The study’s findings are limited because participants’ hemoglobin A1c blood tests, which measure blood sugar levels over the past 2-3 months, were not available. Hemoglobin A1c can also be used to define prediabetes. Only fasting glucose tests were included in the analysis.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the abstract.

Statements and conclusions of studies that are presented at the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. Abstracts presented at the Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, rather, they are curated by independent review panels and are considered based on the potential to add to the diversity of scientific issues and views discussed at the meeting. The findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content and policy positions. Overall financial information is available here.

Additional Resources:

• A video interview with American Heart Association volunteer expert, Dr. Antonio Cabrera, and additional multimedia are available on the right column of the release link.
• Spanish news release 
• After Tuesday, March 17, view abstract MPTU11 in the EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026 Online Program Planner.
• American Heart Association news release: Millions are unaware of heart risks that don’t start in the heart (Feb. 2026)
• American Heart Association Scientific Statement news release: More resources and collaboration needed to support prevention and treatment of obesity (Jan. 2026)
• American Heart Association health information: About Prediabetes (April 2024)
• American Heart Association Presidential Advisory news release: Heart disease risk, prevention and management redefined (Oct. 2023)
• American Heart Association news release: Lifestyle changes, meds effective to prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes; no change in CVD (May 2022)
• American Heart Association news release: Updated: Prediabetes linked to higher heart attack risk in young adults (May 2022)
• American Heart Association Scientific Statement: Comprehensive Management of Cardiovascular Risk Factors for Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (Jan. 2022)
• For more news from EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026, follow us on X @HeartNews, #EPILifestyle26.

The American Heart Association’s EPI|LIFESTYLE Scientific Sessions is the world’s premier meeting dedicated to the latest advances in population-based science. The meeting is Tuesday-Friday, March 17-20, 2026, in Boston. The primary goal of the meeting is to promote the development and application of translational and population science to prevent heart disease and stroke and foster cardiovascular health. The sessions focus on risk factors, obesity, nutrition, physical activity, genetics, metabolism, biomarkers, subclinical disease, clinical disease, healthy populations, global health and prevention-oriented clinical trials. The Councils on Epidemiology and Prevention and Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health (Lifestyle) jointly planned the EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026. Follow the conference on X at #EPILifestyle26.

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

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For Media Inquiries and American Heart Association Expert Perspective:

AHA Communications & Media Relations in Dallas: 214-706-1173;ahacommunications@heart.org

Kelsey Beveridge: Kelsey.Beveridge@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

• A study that looked at over 3,000 women experiencing a first pregnancy determined that persistently higher stress levels were associated with high blood pressure post pregnancy, specifically in women who had faced adverse pregnancy outcomes, or complications in pregnancy, including high blood pressure, pre-term birth, having a smaller baby or stillbirth.
• Higher stress levels were detected 2-to-7 years after delivery, emphasizing a need for managing stress in women who have had adverse pregnancy outcomes, as they may be more susceptible to the negative effects of stress on their heart health.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET Monday, March 9, 2026

DALLAS, March 9, 2026 — Women who experience pregnancy complications, like preeclampsia, pre-term birth, stillbirth or having a baby that is small for gestational age, may face an increased risk for cardiovascular disease later in life. For those who report high stress levels during and after pregnancy, there is a more elevated risk for high blood pressure, even years after they deliver, according to new research published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.

“For women who were having babies for the first time and had complications, referred to as adverse pregnancy outcomes, we found that higher stress levels over time were associated with higher blood pressure levels 2-to-7 years after delivery,” said Virginia Nuckols, Ph.D., lead author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow in the University of Delaware’s Department of Kinesiology and Applied Physiology. “This suggests that women who had pregnancy complications may be more susceptible to the negative effects of stress on their heart health, and taking steps to manage and reduce stress could be important for protecting long-term heart health.”

Stressful life events and perceived stress are associated with cardiovascular issues in women over the course of their lives. Pregnancy is associated with amplified psychosocial stress, which can lead to higher cardiovascular risks and increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, or complications during pregnancy and/or delivery. According to the American Heart Association, high blood pressure during pregnancy can have lasting effects on the mother’s health and postpartum care is especially important to manage and mitigate risk of complications.

This study assessed whether psychosocial stress levels during a woman’s first pregnancy and in the years after are linked to the mother’s blood pressure levels and risk of developing hypertension. Additionally, it evaluated if certain complications during pregnancy and delivery change the relationship between stress levels and cardiovascular health.

Researchers measured the mothers’ blood pressure and stress levels during their first and third trimesters of pregnancy, and again 2-7 years after delivery.

The analysis found:

• Among women who experienced adverse pregnancy outcomes, higher stress levels over time were associated with blood pressure that was 2 mm Hg higher than that of the low stress group during the years 2-7 years after delivery; however, this was not the case among women who did not experience adverse pregnancy outcomes.
• Those who experienced moderate to high stress levels were often younger (between 25 and 27 years of age), had higher body mass index and lower educational attainment.
• Results showed that women who had adverse pregnancy outcomes may be more susceptible to the long-term negative effects of stress on their heart health.

The authors noted that it’s not clear exactly how higher stress leads to higher blood pressure in women who had pregnancy complications, and there are likely several factors involved. “Future studies should examine why women with a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes may be more susceptible to stress-driven increases in blood pressure and test whether stress reduction interventions can actually lower cardiovascular risk for these women,” said Dr. Nuckols.

High blood pressure during pregnancy can have lasting impacts on maternal health, such as preeclampsia, eclampsia, stroke or kidney problems, according to the American Heart Association’s 2025 Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults. Monitoring blood pressure before, during and after pregnancy is crucial to help prevent and reduce the risks of long-term complications.

“The current guideline emphasizes blood pressure monitoring after an adverse pregnancy event, and our findings suggest that assessing and addressing stress may also be an important strategy for reducing long-term cardiovascular risk for these women,” said Nuckols. “The blood pressure differences we observed in women with higher perceived stress levels were apparent in young women only 25 years of age, on average. Although these blood pressure differences were modest (about 2 mm Hg), slight increases in blood pressure can affect heart disease risk over time.”

“This study highlights the powerful connection between the mind and heart, emphasizing the importance of stress management, particularly for those who have experienced adverse pregnancy outcomes,” said Laxmi Mehta, M.D., FAHA, chair of the American Heart Association’s Council on Clinical Cardiology. “For the clinical care team, it reinforces the need to proactively assess and address stress as part of the comprehensive care we provide to our patients. Future research on whether targeted interventions to reduce or manage stress has a meaningful impact on long-term cardiovascular outcomes will be important as well.” Mehta, who was not involved in the study, is also the director of preventative cardiology & women's cardiovascular health, the Sarah Ross Soter Endowed Chair in Women’s Cardiovascular Health Research and professor of internal medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

The study has some limitations, including that stress levels were based on participants’ own perceptions, therefore, researchers were not able to characterize other components of the stress experience, including mood states or physical symptoms, which may have other impacts on health. Also, perceived stress scores were not collected during the participants’ second trimester, only during the first and third trimesters. Additionally, it is possible that specific individual or combinations of adverse pregnancy outcomes (for example, preeclampsia during pregnancy along with having a baby that is small for gestational age) may have distinct effects on stress trajectory or blood pressure. Further, this study group only included women during their first pregnancy. Future research is needed to understand the links between stress and cardiovascular health after an adverse pregnancy outcome.

Study details, background and design:

• Researchers analyzed records of 3,322 first-time mothers, ages 15-44 (average age of 27) who did not have high blood pressure before pregnancy, from the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-to-be (nuMoM2b), which included a racially, ethnically and geographically diverse population. According to the author, 66% of participants self-identified as white, 14% self-identified as Hispanic women, and 11% self-identified as Black women.
• Study participants were enrolled at 17 medical centers in eight U.S. states. The women were having their first child and pregnant with only one baby.
• Researchers observed women in their first trimester and evaluated this information with adverse pregnancy outcomes, which included preeclampsia (new-onset high blood pressure during pregnancy), preterm birth, small for gestational age birthweight and stillbirth.
• All participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale, a standard stress assessment questionnaire that measures how different situations affect feelings and perceived stress, using questions that rank a person’s feelings and thoughts during the last month. Participants took the assessment during the first and third trimester of pregnancy, as well as 2-7 years after pregnancy. They were asked to note how often they were in situations they perceived as uncontrollable, unpredictable or overwhelming in the previous month on a five-point frequency scale, with a higher score indicating higher levels of perceived stress.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the manuscript.

Studies published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific Association programs and events. The Association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and biotech companies, device manufacturers and health insurance providers and the Association’s overall financial information are available here.

Additional Resources:

• Multimedia is available on the right column of release link.
• After Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, view the manuscript online.
• American Heart Association news release: Risk factors for cardiovascular disease negatively impact health during, after pregnancy (Oct. 2025)
• American Heart Association Guideline news release: New high blood pressure guideline emphasizes prevention, early treatment to reduce CVD risk (Aug. 2025)
• American Heart Association news release: Screening & treating maternal psychological health key to improving cardiovascular health (Feb. 2025)
• American Heart Association news release: Personalized screening early in pregnancy may improve preeclampsia detection (May 2024)
• AHA health initiative: Go Red for Women: Pregnancy and Maternal Health
• Follow AHA/ASA news on X @HeartNews
• Follow news from AHA’s Hypertension journal @HyperAHA 

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About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

For Media Inquiries and American Heart Association Expert Perspective: 214-706-1173

Kelsey Beveridge: Kelsey.beveridge@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org