Following seven healthy habits can almost halve the risk of having a stroke, according to a new study from the University of Texas at Houston.
According to the study, maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise might even offset any genetic risk, and other key steps include not smoking and losing weight.
Experts followed 11,500 middle-aged adults in the US for nearly 30 years and observed how their lifestyles affected their risk of stroke. Four of the habits listed by the American Heart Association are modifiable, i.e. you can change something while the other three: maintaining normal blood pressure, controlling cholesterol and reducing blood sugar are actually effects of maintaining one’s health.
Here's what you need to know:
Strokes are dangerous and common, especially at an advanced age. In developed countries, strokes for years have been in third place as a cause of death and for people who survive the acute phase, it’s the leading cause of severe lifelong disabilities such as movement problems and speech impediments.
Age, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and diabetes are known to increase the risk of stroke. Another risk factor is a family history of the condition.
The study itself
The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, followed 11,568 adults aged 45 to 64 for an average of 28 years. All participants received a "stroke risk score" based on blood tests that identified distinct mutations associated with the fatal events. The test estimated the likelihood of these people having a stroke based on their DNA alone.
Their medical records were also checked to see how well they followed the seven healthy habits.
Low cholesterol was measured based on whether and how much lipid-lowering medication — such as statins — they were taking. Blood pressure was also measured according to the medications people used, while blood sugar was measured based on whether they were being treated for diabetes. Smoking status was taken into account, BMI and body weight, as well as consistently eating fruits and vegetables and physical activity was measured in minutes per week.
The seven habits are:
- Regular eating of vegetables and fruits;
- Maintaining a healthy weight;
- Regular physical activity;
- No smoking;
- Maintaining blood pressure;
- Keeping sugar levels balanced;
- Maintaining a healthy cholesterol level.
What were the results?
Participants with the highest genetic risk and the worst heart health had the highest risk of having a stroke, around 25%. Yet for those who followed Life's Simple 7 the risk dropped by 30 to 43%. Following the other methods also added nearly six more stroke-free years. Overall, the healthiest group also saw the fewest cases of stroke (6%), while those who followed the least habits had the most (57%)."Our study confirmed that changing lifestyle risk factors, such as blood pressure control, can offset genetic risk for stroke," said lead author Prof. Myriam Fornage, a geneticist at the University of Texas at Houston.
"Our study confirmed that changing lifestyle risk factors, such as blood pressure control, can offset genetic risk for stroke."
Prof. Myriam Fornage, geneticist at the University of Texas at Houston
"We can use genetic information to determine who’s at higher risk and encourage them to adopt cardiovascular-healthy lifestyles, such as following the AHA's Life’s Simple 7, to lower that risk and live longer, healthier lives."