The mounting obesity epidemic in the United States has contributed to an increase in the number of strokes occurring among younger Americans.

New research has revealed that the average age of patients suffering a first stroke in the greater Cincinnati area has dropped by almost three years between 1993 and 2005.

The findings of the analysis were recently presented at the American Stroke Association conference in San Antonio.

Brett Kissela, M.D., of the University of Cincinnati Neuroscience Institute set out to determine why many of the stroke patients seen in the neurology department of the hospital were not much older than the age of 50.

Kissela and his colleagues analyzed data from 17 hospitals in the Cincinnati metropolitan area spanning two counties in Ohio and three in northern Kentucky, which provided a nationally representative population of approximately 1.3 million people.

They discovered that the average age of stroke victims had decreased from 71.3 in 1993 to 68.4 by the end of 2005.

During the same period of time, the percentage of patients suffering a stroke prior to reaching the age of 45 jumped from 4.5 percent to 7.3 percent.

Kissela described the findings as “tragic” because young people who become disabled from stroke lose a lot of productive life. Kissela theorized that the increase in risk factors among younger Americans such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, may be the reasoning behind the trend.

Prior findings of his research team have shown that diabetes alone can contribute to a five to 10 time greater likelihood of stroke among people under the age of 65. Kissela pointed out, “We’re just seeing these conditions come sooner, so it’s probably not surprising that the strokes would come sooner.”

In contrast to the increased number of strokes seen in younger patients, rates have actually declined among whites ages 65 and older, as well as in blacks ages 85 and older. However, the rates may be offset by the number of younger patients suffering strokes.

Kissela maintains that generally, the absolute risk of stroke remains significantly lower among younger Americans than in the older population. Occurrences numbered about 25 per 100,000 whites and 55 per 100,000 blacks between the ages of 20 and 44 in 2005. In comparison, the rates were 1,263 per 100,000 whites and 1,029 per 100,000 blacks, in patients ages 85 and older.

The consequences reflected in the cost of health care in the U.S. could be staggering if this trend continues. Because younger people are more likely to survive a stroke, the resulting need for decades of care could make costs skyrocket.

The mortality rate among stroke victims between the ages of 46 and 64 is eight to 12 percent.

Beyond obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure, other common risk factors for stroke include smoking, high cholesterol, lack of physical activity, poor diet and the use of oral contraceptives.

As the majority of the most common risk factors are associated with obesity, the message becomes that developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the key to preservation of health.

Now more than ever, parents need to become healthy role models for their children, as well as educate them about the risks associated with being overweight.

Lives can be saved by providing children with a healthy diet, and promoting physical activity to help them gain a healthy attitude toward health and fitness.