Young adults are experiencing increasingly poor cardiovascular profiles, yet remain under-represented in prevention strategies1. It is well established that development of atherosclerotic lesions begins early in life, long before the onset of clinical manifestations. However, traditional risk assessment tools often fail to detect early vascular damage in this younger age group2. Subclinical cardiovascular risk markers, such as arterial stiffness and endothelial function, offer valuable insight to early asymptomatic vascular impairment that precede symptomatic disease making them critical for timely intervention3. Despite the well-established role of diet in cardiovascular health, the relationship between dietary behaviours and subclinical vascular markers in young adults remains underexplored. Investigating these associations can inform long-term, targeted prevention efforts during a transitional life stage of increased food autonomy. This study aims to examine associations between dietary intake and subclinical cardiovascular risk markers in a cohort of university students, with adjustments for other relevant lifestyle factors including physical activity, sleep patterns, and psychological distress. A total of 76 students aged 18-25 years from the University of the Sunshine Coast (27 males and 49 females) were assessed for arterial stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity), brachial blood pressure, and endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation). Dietary intake was measured using three non-consecutive 24 - hour dietary recalls. Additional lifestyle behaviours were assessed using validated questionnaires and a wrist-worn monitor for movement and sleep. Median (IQR) for carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity was 8.05 (7.90 - 8.90) m/s for males and 7.23 (6.78 - 8.03) m/s for females, with 26 % of males and 14 % of females exceeding the upper limit of the global reference ranges. Median (IQR) systolic/diastolic blood pressure was 128 / 73 (120 – 131 / 66 - 77) mmHg among males and 116 / 70 (109 - 123/63 - 74) mmHg among females; 26 % of males and 6 % of females had above-normal readings. Only 4.0 % males and 11.1 % females met fruit intake guidelines, while 8.0 % of males and 8.9 % of females met vegetable intake recommendations. On average, ~ 33% of total energy intake came from energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods in males and females, respectively. Preliminary findings highlight concerning patterns in cardiovascular health and dietary behaviours among young adult university students. Linear regression models will be used to explore associations between cardiovascular measures and dietary intake, with results providing new insights into the role of diet in subclinical cardiovascular health among young adults. These findings will inform the development of tailored health behaviour interventions to support the needs of young adults for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in this under-targeted population.