A research team funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) uncovered higher rates of heart disease and worse heart health affecting adults living in rural communities compared to urban areas and the factors that likely drive these differences. They found adults living in rural areas were more likely than those living in large cities to have heart disease (7% vs. 4%), high blood pressure (37% vs. 31%), high cholesterol (29% vs. 27%), obesity (41% vs. 30%), and diabetes (11% vs. 10%). Across all age groups, the differences in high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes were largest among adults ages 20–39 living in rural areas vs. cities.
Investigators reviewed data from more than 27,000 adults who participated in the 2022 National Health Interview Survey to understand geographical differences in…