Exercise and healthy eating reduces stroke risk in women - Stroke Association comments

Women with a healthy diet and lifestyle may be less likely to have a stroke by more than half, according to a new study.

The researchers looked at looked at five factors that make up a healthy lifestyle: healthy diet; moderate alcohol consumption; never smoking; physically active; and healthy body mass index (BMI). Compared with women with none of the five healthy factors, women with all five factors had a 54-percent lower risk of stroke.

Dr Kate Holmes, Assistant Director of Research at the Stroke Association, said: “A sensible diet and an active lifestyle are good for our health, whatever our gender. This new study suggests that women with a number of healthier lifestyle factors, including regular exercise, are at significantly lower risk of having a type of stroke called a cerebral infarction. This is the most common type of stroke, and is caused by the blockage of an artery supplying blood to the brain.

“Stroke is a devastating condition that one in five women will experience in their lifetime. Women often find themselves juggling a multitude of responsibilities, and don’t always find the time to take good care of themselves. However, these latest findings suggest what an important difference our lifestyle can make in reducing the risk of stroke.”