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 The results support existing recommendations from
organizations like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), which already call for a diet rich in fresh
greens.
“The findings are consistent with the current knowledge that
increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables should be encouraged
to prevent stroke,” Dr. Yan Qu said in an email.
Qu, of the Qingdao Municipal Hospital and the Medical College of
Qingdao University in Qingdao, China, led the analysis.
A stroke occurs when bloodflow to part of the brain is blocked by a
clot or a burst blood vessel. Without emergency care, a stroke can
lead to severe brain damage or death.
Stroke remains the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S.,
according to the CDC.
 Several studies have looked at the influence of diet on stroke risk.
Some have tied eating lots of fruits and vegetables to lowered risk;
others have found no link at all.
The effect could be indirect, and eating fruits and vegetables may
benefit overall health by reducing blood pressure, cholesterol,
weight and other stroke risk factors, Qu said. It’s also possible
that specific nutrients in the foods may reduce stroke risk, he
said.
To get a better understanding of the relationship between stroke
risk and plants in the diet, the researchers searched for reports
from recent decades that tracked the eating habits and health of men
and women around the world.
Twenty studies examining a total of 16,981 strokes among 760,629
participants were included in the analysis.
Overall, the people who ate the most fruits and vegetables were 21
percent less likely to have a stroke, compared to people who ate the
lowest amounts, the researchers found.
The benefits rose along with the amounts of produce consumed. Stroke
risk fell by 32 percent for every 200 grams (g) per day of fruit
people ate, and 11 percent with every 200 g of vegetables.
The researchers found that citrus fruits, leafy vegetables and
apples and pears were the specific types of greenery linked to
reduced stroke risk.
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“The effect of other types of fruit and vegetables
on stroke risk still needs to be confirmed,” Qu said.
The researchers cannot say for certain that eating fruits and
vegetables caused fewer strokes among the participants. They point
out that there could be other factors that influence the results;
for example, people who eat more fruits and vegetables may lead
generally healthier lives.
"It doesn’t surprise me too much in that it seems to confirm what a
lot of other studies have shown," Dr. David A. Miller said.
Miller, who was not involved in the new study, directs the Advanced
Primary Stroke Center at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.
"We still don’t know if there is anything inherent in the fruits and
vegetables or whether it’s their effect on blood pressure," he said.
"It’s a chicken and egg type of thing."
Miller also pointed out that the researchers also found people who
controlled their other risk factors - such as weight, smoking and
overall diet - had the lowest risk of stroke.
"Eating fruits and vegetables is helpful, but it’s not the only
thing," he said.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1is8tGh
Stroke, online May 8, 2014.
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