Mediterranean diet may lower stroke risk in middle-aged women

Middle-aged women who follow a Mediterranean-style diet -- rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, potatoes, olive oil, seeds, fish, low saturated fat, dairy products and red meat -- may have a reduced risk of stroke, say researchers.

The study shows that the diet may be especially protective in women over the age of 40, regardless of menopausal status or hormone replacement therapy.

The diet reduced the onset of stroke by 17 per cent in all adults, but women saw greater reduction of 22 per cent, whereas the benefit was seen only in 6 per cent men.

"It is unclear why we found differences between women and men, but it could be that components of the diet may influence men differently than women," said lead researcher Ailsa Welch, Professor at the UK's University of East Anglia. Read Complete Article