Cardiometabolic risk and mortality by diseases and medical conditions in the offspring of parents with severe mental illness

Parent's mental illness may increase the risk of cardiometabolic disorders in offspring. Mental illnesses are connected to physical diseases. This is probably due to both environmental factors and hereditary factors. Mental illnesses are more common in some families than others. If one of the parents suffers from a mental illness, the child is prone to develop a mental illness as well. However, little is known about the association between parental mental illness and offspring cardiometabolic disorders and mortality by diseases and medical conditions.

The thesis investigated the long-term cardiometabolic morbidity and mortality by diseases and medical conditions in the offspring of parents with severe mental illness. The study was based on the 1966 Northern Finland Birth Cohort, where subjects have been followed since pregnancy. Data was collected from surveys and longitudinal registers.

Offspring of parents with severe mental illness had a somewhat increased risk of cardiometabolic disorders. Male offspring of parents with severe mental illness had an increased risk of coronary heart disease, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and hypertension. Offspring of parents with severe mental illness had increased risk for obesity, especially offspring of mothers with severe mental illness. Female offspring of parents with severe mental illness had a partially increased risk of disturbances in cardiometabolic risk factors. They had an increased risk of higher glucose levels and increased waist circumference. However, the risk of mortality by diseases and medical conditions was not increased in the offspring.

Parental severe mental illness has a noticeable effect on the offspring's physical health. However, the impact of a parent's severe mental health disorder on offspring's physical health is a complex issue.