New Study Finds Heart Disease Risk Diverges in Men at Age 35

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A new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association followed thousands of young adults over more than three decades and found that heart disease risk starts to diverge between men and women around age 35. By 50, about 5% of men in the study had developed cardiovascular disease, a threshold women didn't reach until age 57. The researchers say this suggests men in their mid-30s, particularly those with a family history of heart disease, may benefit from proactive heart health screenings.

Why it matters

This research highlights the importance of men taking a proactive approach to heart health starting in their mid-30s, rather than waiting until later in life. Even for those who feel healthy, the study found traditional risk factors don't fully explain the earlier onset of heart disease in men, underscoring the need for regular screening and prevention.

The details

The study, which used data from the long-term CARDIA research project, found that by age 50, about 5% of men had developed cardiovascular disease, compared to women who didn't reach that threshold until age 57. The gap was even larger for coronary heart disease, with men reaching a 2% rate 10 years earlier than women. Importantly, the researchers say these sex differences first became statistically significant at age 35.

• The CARDIA study began in 1985 and followed participants for a median of 34 years.
• The new findings were published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in February 2026.

What’s next

The researchers noted that because participants were still relatively young by the end of the study, the absolute number of some cardiovascular events like strokes was low. They also said the study included only Black and white participants, so the results may not apply to other groups. Further research is needed to confirm and expand on these findings.