Stroke is on the rise in an unexpected population — those younger than age 50, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

The researchers point to the rising rates of diabetes and obesity as contributing factors to this increase. Another component of the problem is that those born after 1954 are not using medications to control high blood pressure as often as those born earlier.

“People of all ages should be aware of their blood pressure numbers and do what they can to keep it under control,” says Anastasia Eswar, M.D., a neurologist and part of The Neuroscience Institute at Jersey Shore University Medical Center. “If you have high blood pressure, obesity or diabetes, talk with your doctor about ways to manage stroke risk, such as exercise and diet.”