Blood pressures among white men and black men and women are higher in the southern United States than in other areas of the country, possibly accounting for higher rates of death from strokes in the South.
Stroke January 2000;31
The authors speculate that lack of access to healthcare, lower socioeconomic status and environmental factors contribute to this observation. My guess is that the high consumption of grain carbohydrates, sugar and non-water fluids like juice and soda are the main culprits.