Mediterranean diet lowers stroke risk in women, study finds

Following a Mediterranean diet is linked to a lower risk of stroke in women, a large cohort study suggests.

Women with the highest adherence were 18 per cent less likely to experience any stroke, including a 16 per cent lower risk of ischaemic stroke and a 25 per cent lower risk of haemorrhagic stroke.

Ischaemic stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked. Haemorrhagic stroke is caused by bleeding in the brain.

Study author Sophia Wang of City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center said: “Our findings support the mounting evidence that a healthy diet is critical to stroke prevention.

“We were especially interested to see that this finding applies to haemorrhagic stroke, as few large studies have looked at this type of stroke.”

The study involved 105,614 women, average age 53 at the start, with no history of stroke.

Participants completed a diet questionnaire and received a score from zero to nine based on adherence.

Researchers at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte, California followed participants for an average of 21 years.

During that time, 4,083 strokes occurred, including 3,358 ischaemic and 725 haemorrhagic events.

The Mediterranean pattern features high intake of vegetables, legumes, fruits, fish and healthy fats such as olive oil, and a lower intake of dairy products, red meat and saturated fats.

After adjusting for smoking, physical activity and high blood pressure, those in the highest adherence group were 18 per cent less likely to have a stroke than those in the lowest group.

They were 16 per cent less likely to have an ischaemic stroke and 25 per cent less likely to have a haemorrhagic stroke.

Wang said: “Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability, so it’s exciting to think that improving our diets could lessen our risk for this devastating diseas.

“Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to help us understand the mechanisms behind them so we could identify new ways to prevent stroke.”