IntroductionHealth-related quality of life (QoL) is largely affected by cardiovascular disease, but it not known the effect of accumulated risk factors.ObjectiveTo evaluate the association between cardiovascular risk factors and health-related QoL in a population-based sampling from southern Brazil.MethodsThis population-based cross-sectional study included 1858 adults, aged 18–90 years. Standardised interviews and measurements detected obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2); alcoholic beverage consumption (grams of ethanol/day); smoking, and physical inactivity (<150 min/day). Hypertension was identified by blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg or lowering drugs. QoL was detected by Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) for Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS). General Linear Model, of the SPSS-Complex Samples module, was used for multivariate analysis, controlling for design effect and confounding factors.ResultsParticipants had 48.9±19.1 years-old, 9.4±4.7 years at school, and 58% were women. Low PCS scores were determined for low education level, females, age ≥65 year, but only the last two risk factors were associated with low MCS score. Lower PCS were detected for obesity (46.9 vs 49.5; p<0.001), hypertension (47.6 vs 49.9; p<0.001), diabetes (45.6 vs 49.2; p<0.001), and physically inactive (46.7 vs 49.7; p<0.001), independently of confounding factors, as well as for MCS for non-smoking participants (49.4) (vs 51.9 ex-smokers and 51.2 smokers; p=0.003), physically inactive (49.9 vs 51.4; p=0.008), hypertensive (49.9 vs 51.9; p=0.007), and diabetics (48.6 vs 51.2; p=0.008). There was a curve-response between the number of risk factors and PCS (p<0.001) and MCS scores (p<0.001).ConclusionIndividuals who accumulated risk factors have poorer health-related QoL.