Stress caused by a lack of money has a stronger impact on heart health than traditional medical risk factors, according to a study by specialists at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, as reported by Vice.

Using artificial intelligence, the researchers analyzed around 300,000 routine electrocardiograms recorded between 2018 and 2023. They assessed the so-called “electrical age” of the heart—the degree of wear of its conduction system—which does not always correspond to a person’s biological age.

After comparing nine social factors, the scientists concluded that financial hardship had the greatest effect on the rate of heart aging, reports Arguments and Facts. Among people experiencing money problems, the risk of death was found to be 60 percent higher, whereas a previous heart attack increased mortality by only 10 percent. Other factors associated with accelerated heart aging included housing instability and a lack of access to high-quality food.

The researchers concluded that social conditions have a stronger influence on heart health than diet or even pre-existing medical conditions.