Mediterranean diet can reduce stroke risk by up to 25%, study suggests

A two-decade study of about 105,600 women found higher adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet was associated with an 18% lower overall stroke risk and up to a 25% lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke; the authors note the study shows an association rather than proof of causation.

A large, two-decade study reports an association between following a Mediterranean-style diet and a lower risk of stroke. The research tracked 105,614 women in California, with an average starting age of 53, and used a 0–9 score for adherence based on foods such as olive oil, nuts, fish, whole grains and vegetables. Results, published in Neurology Open Access, showed lower risks for overall stroke as well as for ischemic and hemorrhagic subtypes among women with higher diet scores. Study authors and outside experts noted the findings are associations and said further research is needed to confirm the results and explore mechanisms. Key findings: - The cohort included 105,614 women with no history of stroke and an average starting age of 53. - Diet adherence was scored from 0 to 9; 30% of participants scored 6–9 and 13% scored 0–2. - After adjusting for factors like smoking, physical activity and high blood pressure, the highest adherence group had an 18% lower risk of any stroke compared with the lowest group. - The highest adherence group had a 16% lower risk of ischemic stroke and a 25% lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke, as reported. - The study indicates an association, not causation, and has limitations including that it included only women and relied on self-reported diet data. Summary: The reported association suggests that higher adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet was linked with lower risks of total, ischemic, and hemorrhagic stroke in this group of women. Authors and independent experts described the findings as notable and said further studies are needed to confirm the results and to clarify possible mechanisms.