Rural Study Uncovers Chronic Disease Drivers in Assumption Parish

Pennington Biomedical Research Center publishes first data from RURAL Heart and Lung study in Louisiana

Mar. 20, 2026 at 7:56am

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Researchers at LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center have published the first set of data from the Risks Underlying Rural Areas Longitudinal (RURAL) Heart and Lung study, which explores why people in rural areas suffer disproportionately from chronic diseases. The study gathered data in Louisiana's Assumption Parish and found that health is closely tied to education level, with those who didn't graduate high school more than twice as likely to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Why it matters

The RURAL study aims to understand the disparities in health outcomes between rural communities, as not all rural areas are the same. The data from Assumption Parish provides insights into how factors like population density, age demographics, income, and access to healthcare can contribute to higher rates of preventable chronic diseases in some rural areas.

The details

The RURAL study team gathered data from 460 Assumption Parish adults in 2024, including screenings, questionnaires, and medical tests. They found that 80% of adults in Assumption Parish have overweight or obesity, higher than the state and national averages. Obesity rates differed significantly by education level, with 75% of those who didn't complete high school having obesity compared to 48% of those with some college. High cholesterol and high blood pressure were also more than twice as common in the less educated group.

  • The RURAL study first gathered data in Assumption Parish in 2024.
  • The Assumption Parish data book is now available.
  • Data from Franklin Parish, another study site, will be published soon.

The players

Dr. Stephanie Broyles

Professor and director of the Contextual Risk Factors Laboratory at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, and the lead researcher on the RURAL study.

Pennington Biomedical Research Center

A globally recognized, state-of-the-art research institution in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that is at the forefront of medical discovery related to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and dementia.

Assumption Parish

A rural parish in Louisiana that is one of the study sites for the RURAL Heart and Lung study.

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What they’re saying

“These initial data open up a lot more questions, but we see them as conversation starters, not conversation enders.”

— Dr. Stephanie Broyles, Professor and director of the Contextual Risk Factors Laboratory at Pennington Biomedical Research Center

“With the Franklin Parish results on the way, we will soon have a clear picture of disparities between higher-risk and lower-risk rural communities.”

— Dr. Stephanie Broyles, Professor and director of the Contextual Risk Factors Laboratory at Pennington Biomedical Research Center

What’s next

The RURAL study team will soon publish data from Franklin Parish, another study site, which will allow for a greater understanding of the differences in health outcomes between rural communities in Louisiana.

The takeaway

The RURAL study highlights how factors like education level, access to healthcare, and environmental constraints can contribute to disparities in chronic disease rates between rural communities, underscoring the need for tailored, community-based approaches to improving health in these areas.