Mediterranean diet can reduce risk of stroke by up to 25%, long-term study suggests

"A Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of every type of stroke, in some cases by as much as 25%, a large study conducted over two decades suggests. A diet rich in olive oil, nuts, seafood, whole grains and vegetables has previously been linked to a number of health benefits. However, until now there has been limited evidence of how it might affect the risk of all forms of stroke."

"Our findings support the mounting evidence that a healthy diet is critical to stroke prevention, said study author Sophia Wang, of City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Duarte, California. We were especially interested to see that this finding applies to hemorrhagic stroke, as few large studies have looked at this type of stroke. The study involved 105,614 women in California with an average age of 53 at the start of the study, who had no history of stroke."

Over two decades, 105,614 women in California, average age 53 and without prior stroke, were followed and scored 0–9 for Mediterranean diet adherence. Higher scores reflected above-average intake of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, fish, and moderate alcohol. Greater adherence correlated with lower risk of overall stroke, ischemic stroke, and hemorrhagic stroke, with risk reductions in some cases reaching about 25%. Global stroke burden exceeds 15 million cases annually, with 5 million deaths and 5 million permanent disabilities. The findings indicate that a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern may substantially contribute to stroke prevention.

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