Heart health scores among U.S. high school students are lower in each grade from freshman to senior year, according to a CDC report on teen cardiovascular health dated Oct. 15 in an MMWR supplement. Ninth graders averaged 68.3 out of 100 on a five-part cardiovascular health score, compared with 65.9 in 10th grade, 63.7 in 11th grade, and 62.7 in 12th grade.
The analysis, based on the 2025 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey, also found that about four in five students had low or moderate overall scores. For parents of teenagers, the findings point to everyday habits, especially sleep, physical activity, and nicotine use, that score lower among older students.
