Fruit and vegetable consumption reduce stroke

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More fruits and veggies, less stroke..

Neurology. 2005 Oct 25;65(8):1193-7.

Fruit and vegetable consumption and risk of stroke: a

meta-analysis of cohort studies.

Dauchet L, Amouyel P, Dallongeville J.

INSERM U508, Service d'Epidemiologie et Sante Publique, Institut

Pasteur de Lille, France.

BACKGROUND: Fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with

lower rates of coronary heart disease. Results from observational

studies suggest a similar association with stroke. OBJECTIVE: To

assess the evidence from prospective observational studies on fruit

and vegetable intake and risk of stroke. METHODS: A meta-analysis of

prospective studies was conducted to examine the association between

fruit and vegetable intake and stroke. Studies were selected if they

reported relative risk (RR) and 95% CI for any type of stroke and used

a validated questionnaire for food intake assessment. Pooled RR were

calculated and linearity of the associations was examined. RESULTS:

Seven studies were eligible for the meta-analysis, including 90,513

men, 141,536 women, and 2,955 strokes. The risk of stroke was

decreased by 11% (RR 95% CI: 0.89 [0.85 to 0.93]) for each additional

portion per day of fruit, by 5% (RR: 0.95 [0.92 to 0.97]) for fruit

and vegetables, and by 3% (RR: 0.97 [0.92 to 1.02]; NS) for

vegetables. The association between fruit or fruit and vegetables and

stroke was linear, suggesting a dose-response relationship.

CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis of cohort studies suggests that fruit

and fruit and vegetable consumption decreases the risk of stroke.

PMID: 16247045