#longitudinal-study

#longitudinal-study

The Trevor Project is the leading LGBTQ+-centered suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit in the United States. Their new study, Project SPARK (Studying Protective And RisK factors), is their first ever longitudinal study, meaning that it is set to collect data over years. Much of the data that currently exists on LGBTQ+ mental health, the researchers note, is based on data collected at a single point for each individual, rather than being able to track their progress over time.

A new study has found a link between high blood pressure at the age of 7 and up to a 50 per cent increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease over the next five decades. Currently, children in the UK are not routinely checked for blood pressure as part of a national screening programme. But the researchers said their findings demonstrate the importance of regularly checking children's blood pressure to help them develop heart-healthy habits early on.

The study showed that if people maintained three unhealthy habits—smoking, heavy drinking, and physical inactivity—mental and physical health declines significantly, particularly by age 36.