The Influence of Parental Behaviours and Socioeconomic Factors on Offspring’s Precursors of Atherosclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Abstract

Parents can influence both the behaviours and cardiovascular health of their school-aged children and adolescents. Understanding these effects is essential for developing targeted interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to report existing research findings on the associations between parental lifestyle behaviours, socioeconomic status (SES), and educational level (EDL) and offspring’s arterial stiffness (AS) and blood pressure (BP). Following PRISMA methodology, 19 observational studies were selected from the PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCO databases. Inclusion criteria focused on age range, children’s AS and BP, parental behaviours, SES, and EDL. The STROBE checklist ensured the quality and reliability of the included studies. The meta-analysis included data from three or more studies. Higher levels of maternal physical activity were associated with lower AS in offspring. Parental smoking was associated with increased AS and higher BP in offspring. The meta-analyses showed that a lower EDL was associated with higher AS in offspring, 0.22 (95% CI: 0.15, 0.29; p < 0.001). No significant associations were found between parental SES and offspring’s systolic (p = 0.40) and diastolic (p = 0.50) BP. Parental behaviours shape offspring’s cardiovascular health. Parental physical activity and higher EDL seem to be protective, while parental smoking is associated with adverse outcomes. Further research is needed to clarify these relationships.