(July 15) - New research points to lower intelligence as a heart disease risk factor and recommends simplifying public health messages.

A study by Scottish researchers showed IQ accounted for more than 20 percent of the difference in heart disease and stroke mortality between people in higher and lower socioeconomic groups, HealthDay reported.

The study of nearly 4,300 former U.S. soldiers took into account known cardiovascular health factors, including smoking and obesity, but study leader David Batty said these elements alone were insufficient to explain the difference in mortality.

"Unmeasured psychological factors need to be considered," Batty said. "One of these is intelligence or cognitive function, commonly referred to as IQ ... IQ is strongly related to socioeconomic status."

People of lower socioeconomic status fare worse when it comes to heart disease, according to Batty. He recommended efforts be launched to lessen social inequalities and increase education across the board.

The findings of the study, published in Wednesday's issue of the European Heart Journal, further suggest that public health campaigns need to be simplified to reach a broader audience. Batty said current messages are often complicated, contradictory and unclear, making them "difficult to interpret, even by knowledgeable people."