This large study looked at heart structure changes in 20,152 adults aged 19 to 74 from the German National Cohort. Participants were assessed for risks such as blood pressure, cholesterol, body weight, and sleep issues. Researchers compared how these factors linked to heart changes in men versus women, and in younger versus older adults.
The findings show that heart volumes tend to decrease and heart walls thicken with age in both sexes. However, these age-related changes happen more steeply in women than in men. For example, higher body weight was more strongly linked to heart changes in postmenopausal women compared to premenopausal women.
Sleep problems showed a different pattern, linking more strongly to heart changes in men than in women. The study suggests that postmenopausal women may face a higher burden of these risks affecting their heart structure. Readers should understand that while these links are important, they do not prove direct causation. Controlling these risks remains vital for heart health across all adulthood stages.