Incidents of stroke are increasing for teens and young adults, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study that appeared in Annals of Neurology.

The study found that ischemic stroke hospitalization rates increased 37 percent between 1995 and 2008 for that demographic.

Prior studies found that stroke in adolescents and young adults account for 5 to 10 percent of all stroke incidences and that stroke is one of the top 10 causes of childhood death.

Our results...accentuate the need for public health initiatives to reduce the prevalence of risk factors for stroke among adolescents and young adults, said Mary George of CDC, the lead author of the study.

The study found that patients hospitalized for stroke, of various ages, are often also diagnosed with the conditions of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and/or lipid disorders. Moreover, many of them were smokers.

To guard against stroke and the common co-existing conditions listed above, the authors of the study recommend:

- eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and foods low in sodium and saturated fat

- maintaining a healthy weight

- engaging in regular physical activity

- not smoking

Medicine