ABSTRACTBackgroundMental health was closely associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aimed to investigate the association between cardiovascular health (CVH), as defined by Life's Essential 8 (LE8), and the presence of depression and anxiety.HypothesisWe hypothesized that CVH, as defined by LE8, was negatively associated with the prevalence of depression and anxiety.MethodsA cross‐sectional study was conducted on participants (≥ 20 years old) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The LE8 score (ranging from 0 to 100) was composed of the health behavior score and the health factor score, which were further categorized into three levels as follows: low (0–49), moderate (50–79), and high (80–100). Weighted multivariable logistic regressions and restricted cubic splines were utilized to assess the association between LE8 and mental disorders.ResultsAmong the 13 028 participants included in this research, 1206 were determined to have depression symptoms and 2947 were determined to have anxiety symptoms. In the weighted and adjusted model, LE8 was negatively associated with the prevalence of depression (odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.61, 0.58–0.65) and anxiety (OR, 95% CI: 0.78, 0.75–0.81). Furthermore, a nonlinear dose–response relationship was observed between LE8 and anxiety.ConclusionsCVH defined by the LE8 was independently and negatively associated with the prevalence of depression and anxiety. Interventions targeting LE8 components may improve both CVH and mental health.