Stroke risk factors in Black Americans include: • High blood pressure — Over half of Black adults have high blood pressure. It develops earlier in Black people and is often more difficult to manage.
• Overweight and obesity — Almost 70% of black men and over 80% of black women are overweight or obese.
• Diabetes — African Americans are more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites.
• Sickle cell anemia — This common genetic disorder in African Americans is a risk factor for stroke.
• High cholesterol — Nearly 25% of Black people have high levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol.
• Smoking — Over 14% of black adults smoke, increasing their risk of stroke two- to fourfold.
• Not exercising regularly — On average, fewer than half of Black adults meet the weekly goal of at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (or a combination of both), which increases their stroke risk.
• Stress — African American adults face daily stressors that may increase risk for stroke.
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