Different foods may impact risk for different types of strokes

A study published in the European Heart Journal suggests that different types of food are linked to risks of different types of stroke. Until now, most studies have looked at the association between food and total stroke (all types of stroke combined) or focused on ischaemic stroke only. However, the current study investigated ischaemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke separately.

The researchers analyzed data from 418,329 men and women in nine countries (Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom) who were recruited to the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study between 1992 and 2000. The participants completed questionnaires asking about diet, lifestyle, medical history, and sociodemographic factors, and were followed up for an average of 12.7 years. During this time, there were 4,281 cases of ischaemic stroke and 1,430 cases of hemorrhagic stroke.

Food groups studied included meat and meat products (red meat, processed meat, and poultry); fish and fish products (white fish and fatty fish); dairy products (including milk, yogurt, cheese); eggs; cereals and cereal products; fruit and vegetables (combined and separately); legumes, nuts, and seeds; and dietary fiber (total fiber and cereal, fruit, and vegetable fiber).

The researchers found that while higher intakes of fruit, vegetables, fiber, milk, cheese, or yogurt were each linked to a lower risk of ischaemic stroke, there was no significant association with a lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke. However, a greater consumption of eggs was associated with a higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke, but not with ischaemic stroke. About 85% of strokes are ischaemic, and 15% are hemorrhagic. The researchers say the associations they found between different foods and ischaemic and hemorrhagic stroke might be explained partly by the effects on blood pressure and cholesterol.

Study