Strokes are rising among young and middle-aged Americans while dropping among older ones. Some public health officials consider this a sign that obesity is changing the age at which this disease becomes a burden. Although stroke still takes is highest toll on older people, comparison of hospitalizations in 1994-1995 with those in 2006-2007 showed a 51 percent increase among men ages 15 to 34 and a 17 percent increase among woman in that age-group.