Pettersson-Pablo P, et al. - Researchers assessed measures of vascular structure as well as function and biomarkers of cardiovascular risk among young healthy adults, given the recognition of early signs of atherosclerosis in young adults may likely guide early interventions to avert later cardiovascular disease. Among 834 healthy non-smokers (ages 18.0–25.9), measurements of pulse-wave velocity (PWV), carotid-intima media thickness (cIMT) and augmentation index (AIX) were obtained. Using cluster analysis algorithms, the participants were assigned into groups on the basis of these vascular measurements. Experts summarized the outcomes by quintiles of the vascular measurements in order to calculate a vascular status score (VSS). Relative to cluster analyses, better suitability of a VSS calculation, which combines PWV, cIMT, and AIX measurements, was shown for cardiovascular risk assessment in young adults. Findings revealed independent links of VSS with body fat percentage and C-reactive protein, this suggests that adiposity and systemic inflammation have a decisive role in early atherosclerotic progression, and insulin and lipid metabolism play a subordinate role in this age span.