{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T13:19:54Z","timestamp":1789478394608,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,15]],"date-time":"2025-05-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1747267200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Fundamental Fund 2025","award":["N42A671052"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["N42A671052"]}]},{"name":"Chiang Mai University","award":["N42A671052"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["N42A671052"]}]},{"name":"Thailand Research Fund (TRF) Research Team Promotion Grant, RTA, Senior Research Scholar","award":["N42A671052"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["N42A671052"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Postmenopausal women face increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to hormone changes during menopause. Life\u2019s Essential 8 (LE8), a relatively new cardiovascular health assessment index by the American Heart Association, may impact MetS diagnostics and potential treatment strategies. This study investigated the association between LE8 and MetS among postmenopausal women. Methods: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data were extracted (2011\u20132020). LE8 comprised eight health behaviours and factors (score of 0\u2013100) classified into low (0\u201349), moderate (50\u201379), and high (80\u2013100) cardiovascular health status. MetS was defined as metabolic dysfunctions comprising insulin resistance, central obesity, dyslipidaemia, impaired glucose metabolism, and hypertension. Complex survey-adjusted regression models were used. Effect modification by race and female hormone use were investigated. Results: 5402 postmenopausal women were included (mean age: 63.0 y), and 3152 (58.3%) met MetS criteria. LE8 scores for those with and without MetS were 58 \u00b1 13.8 and 70 \u00b1 14.1 (p &lt; 0.001), respectively (mean \u00b1 SD). Higher LE8 scores were associated with lower odds of having MetS (Odds ratio (OR) for a 10-score increase: 0.53, 95% CI: [0.48, 0.57], p &lt; 0.001). Nicotine exposure score was inversely associated with the likelihood of having MetS (0.52 [0.34, 0.80], p = 0.022). The association between LE8 status and odds of MetS differed by race (p-interaction = 0.01); \u2018moderate\u2019 or \u2018high\u2019 cardiovascular health status lowered odds of MetS in all races except other\/multi-racial. Conclusions: The inverse relationship between LE8 scores and MetS suggests that integrating LE8 components into management strategies may help prevent CVD in postmenopausal women.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu17101688","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,15]],"date-time":"2025-05-15T09:58:27Z","timestamp":1747303107000},"page":"1688","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["The Association Between the American Heart Association Life\u2019s Essential 8 and Metabolic Syndrome Among Postmenopausal Women: Findings from NHANES 2011\u20132020"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Harshini","family":"Meegaswatte","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia"},{"name":"Functional Foods and Nutrition Research (FFNR) Laboratory, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia"},{"name":"University of Canberra Research Institute for Sport and Exercise (UCRISE), University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5479-1544","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrew J.","family":"McKune","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia"},{"name":"Functional Foods and Nutrition Research (FFNR) Laboratory, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia"},{"name":"University of Canberra Research Institute for Sport and Exercise (UCRISE), University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia"},{"name":"Discipline of Biokinetics, Exercise and Leisure Sciences, School of Health Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8583-153X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Demosthenes B.","family":"Panagiotakos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia"},{"name":"Functional Foods and Nutrition Research (FFNR) Laboratory, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia"},{"name":"Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17676 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sukhuntha","family":"Osiriphun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Agro-Industry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4699-1351","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Noppol","family":"Leksawasdi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Agro-Industry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand"},{"name":"Center of Excellence in Agro Bio-Circular-Green Industry (Agro BCG), Faculty of Agro-Industry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8157-4433","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pornchai","family":"Rachtanapun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Agro-Industry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand"},{"name":"Center of Excellence in Agro Bio-Circular-Green Industry (Agro BCG), Faculty of Agro-Industry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8652-0036","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Martin","family":"Veysey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2605, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2841-4497","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nenad","family":"Naumovski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia"},{"name":"Functional Foods and Nutrition Research (FFNR) Laboratory, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia"},{"name":"University of Canberra Research Institute for Sport and Exercise (UCRISE), University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia"},{"name":"Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17676 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0140-4942","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Siraphat","family":"Taesuwan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia"},{"name":"Functional Foods and Nutrition Research (FFNR) Laboratory, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia"},{"name":"Faculty of Agro-Industry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand"},{"name":"Center of Excellence in Agro Bio-Circular-Green Industry (Agro BCG), Faculty of Agro-Industry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"433","DOI":"10.1161\/01.CIR.0000111245.75752.C6","article-title":"Definition of Metabolic Syndrome","volume":"109","author":"Grundy","year":"2004","journal-title":"Circulation"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1640","DOI":"10.1161\/CIRCULATIONAHA.109.192644","article-title":"Harmonizing the Metabolic Syndrome","volume":"120","author":"Alberti","year":"2009","journal-title":"Circulation"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e347","DOI":"10.1161\/CIR.0000000000001209","article-title":"2024 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: A Report of US and Global Data From the American Heart Association","volume":"149","author":"Martin","year":"2024","journal-title":"Circulation"},{"key":"ref_4","first-page":"e506","article-title":"Menopause Transition and 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