According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of strokes occurring in younger people is on the rise.
The CDC report reveals that for individuals under the age of 65, the risk of stroke has been increasing over the past decade. This contrasts with older Americans, where the incidence of stroke has remained steady year over year. While Americans aged 65 and older still have the highest overall prevalence of stroke, the trend has not worsened.
For younger adults, although the overall risk remains relatively low, it has been growing in recent years. This rise in stroke prevalence correlates with increasing rates of both obesity and high blood pressure within the same age groups—conditions that are closely linked to a heightened risk of stroke.
“This report is concerning because stroke rates are climbing among younger populations. The noted rise in obesity and hypertension in these groups is particularly troubling,” said Dr. Gregory W. Albers, Director of the Stanford Stroke Center at Stanford Medical Center, in an interview with Healthline. Dr. Albers was not involved in the report.
The prevalence among certain racial and ethnic groups, geographic regions, and individuals with lower education levels also highlights ongoing disparities in stroke prevention and education.
Stroke Increasing Among Younger Adults
Researchers at the CDC, comparing self-reported health data from 2011-2013 and 2020-2022, found that the prevalence of stroke grew by nearly 8%. However, this growth was not evenly distributed across all age, sex, and socioeconomic groups.
Young adults, in particular, experienced significant increases in stroke prevalence. Among those aged 18-44, there was a 14.6% increase, and for adults aged 45-64, the increase was 15.7%.
Age is a major risk factor for stroke, with the average age of occurrence in the 70s. This makes the CDC’s latest report that younger adults are experiencing strokes all the more concerning.
Although the overall prevalence of stroke among young adults in both age categories (0.9% for the 18-44 group and 3.8% for the 45-64 group) remains lower than that of those 65 and older (7.7%), the stroke rate among older Americans has stabilized. In contrast, it continues to grow for younger adults, particularly those in midlife.
The national prevalence of self-reported stroke stands at 2.9%.
While there is no single clear cause for the rise in strokes among young adults, compounded risk factors like obesity and high blood pressure are likely contributors. According to the new CDC report, between 1999-2000 and 2017-2018, the number of people with high blood pressure rose by more than 6% among adults aged 45-64.
“When you look at every epidemiological study across the board, on every continent, and within every demographic, the factor that stands out most as a stroke risk factor is high blood pressure,” said Dr. Matthew S. Schrag, a Vascular Neurologist and Assistant Professor of Neurology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Schrag was not affiliated with the report.
Who is Most at Risk for Having a Stroke?
The report also highlighted several key findings based on race, ethnicity, geography, and education level.
Stroke is most prevalent among American Indian/Alaska Native populations (5.3%), followed by Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (4.4%) and Black adults (4.3%). It is least prevalent among Asian adults (1.5%). During the surveillance period, stroke prevalence increased among Black (7.8%), White (7.2%), and Hispanic (16.1%) adults.
Adults with less than a high school education experienced the largest increase in stroke prevalence among all groups, with an 18.2% rise.
“Individuals with higher education levels tend to be more aware of the importance of hypertension control, even though it often presents without symptoms. It’s common to see that more educated populations have better access to healthcare, insurance, and medications. So, these findings are not surprising to me,” said Dr. Gregory W. Albers.
Additionally, ten states, predominantly in the South, saw increased stroke prevalence. This region has become known as the “stroke belt”—a cluster of states with higher stroke mortality compared to the rest of the United States.
“This prevalence data still indicates a substantial increase within what we call the ‘stroke belt.’ There is a geographic asymmetry in the distribution of strokes across the country,” said Dr. Matthew S. Schrag.
Stroke Prevention
Omoye Imoisili, MD, a researcher in the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention at the CDC and author of the report, told Healthline that there are numerous health and lifestyle changes that can help prevent strokes:
“Decrease your stroke risk by taking control of your health. Preventative steps and strategies include adopting healthy habits on your own as well as with the support of a healthcare team. These encompass choosing healthy food and drinks, maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in regular physical activity, not smoking, limiting alcohol intake, and controlling blood pressure,” she said.