Fish May Reduce Risk of Stroke

In a population-based, prospective cohort study involving 34,670 women free of cardiovascular disease and cancer at baseline, who were followed up for a mean 10.4 years, during which time 1,680 incident cases of stroke were identified (including 1310 cerebral infarctions, 233 hemorrhagic strokes, and 137 unspecified strokes), consumption of fish was significantly inversely associated with risk of total stroke, but not with cerebral infarction or hemorrhagic stroke. Women consuming more than 3 servings/week of fish were found to have a 0.84 multivariable RR of total stroke, as compared to women consuming less than 1 serving/week of fish. Women who consumed 3 or more servings/week of lean fish were found to have a 0.67 multivariable RR of total stroke, as compared to those who did not consume lean fish at all. The authors conclude, "These results suggest that the consumption of fish, especially of lean fish, may reduce risk of stroke in women."

Reference: "Fish consumption and risk of stroke in Swedish women," Larsson SC, Virtamo J, et al, Am J Clin Nutr, 2011 March; 93(3): 487-93. (Address: Division of Nutritional Epidemiology, National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. E-mail: susanna.larsson@ki.se ).