Work

Cardiorespiratory fitness mediates the association between neighborhood deprivation and arterial stiffness in women

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Neighborhood disadvantage is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, yet the physiological pathways linking social environments to vascular health remain unclear. In postmenopausal women, we found that cardiorespiratory fitness mediated the relationship between neighborhood deprivation and arterial stiffness. Higher neighborhood deprivation was associated with lower fitness, which in turn was associated with greater arterial stiffness. These findings highlight cardiorespiratory fitness as a potential physiological and modifiable pathway linking adverse social environments to vascular aging.

Source: Journal of Applied Physiology

DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00307.2026