The Surprising Link Between Parents' Divorce and Adult Stroke Risk

Ever wondered how your parents' divorce could affect you decades later? A new study sheds light on an unexpected connection. Children who grew up with divorced parents may face a higher risk of stroke as adults. The link is so strong that it's comparable to well-known risk factors like diabetes and being male. Researchers at the University of Toronto looked at over 13, 000 adults aged 65 and older. They found that those whose parents had divorced before they turned 18 had a 60% higher chance of having a stroke. That's a lot! Why does this happen? Chronic stress could be the culprit. It can mess with your body's stress response system, making you more likely to have a stroke. Plus, kids of divorced parents might face other health issues like high blood pressure or sleep problems that stick with them into adulthood. But wait, there's more. Other studies have shown that children of divorce might also be more prone to catching colds as adults and may even die earlier. Harsh, right? The good news? The study didn't find the same link in younger generations. So, times are changing.