From local news to global conversations and groundbreaking research, health care is constantly evolving and highly covered in the media. Here, we share the latest news and trends – and how they drive our work to best serve our communities and members.

A new study shows that cardiovascular health (CVH) trajectories begin to decline at age 10, revealing an ideal time for targeted interventions to improve CVH into adolescence and adulthood. The study of children’s cardiovascular health, which was led by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and published in JAMA Pediatrics, used the Life’s Essential 8 tool from the American Heart Association (AHA) to assess cardiovascular health of more than 1,500 children from eastern Massachusetts.

Researchers found that health behaviors such as sleep, diet and exercise – versus health factors such as genetics – drove declining CVH scores across all demographic groups. This decline may reflect social or developmental changes that typically occur at this age, such as changes in school schedules and puberty. Improving these health behaviors, especially between mid-childhood and early adolescence, could help optimize CVH.

Izzuddin Aris, Harvard Medical School assistant professor of population medicine at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, said the study pointed out small, but significant disparities in CVH trajectories based on maternal socioeconomic status and child race. “Our study highlights the potential early influence of structural factors linked to socioeconomic status and race and ethnicity – such as residence in favorable neighborhood environments, the ability to access healthy foods, and proximity to safe community spaces that encourage physical activity – that might contribute to future cardiovascular health disparities,” he said.

These findings come at a time when both childhood obesity and food insecurity continue to rise – trends that Point32Health aims to address through several initiatives including a monthly mobile market with Cambridge Health Alliance and collaborating with Good Measures to bring personalized nutrition coaching to eligible commercial Harvard Pilgrim members. Learn about these food as medicine initiatives.