Dietary total fat intake and ischemic stroke risk: the Northern Manhattan Study.
BACKGROUND
Dietary fat intake is associated with coronary heart disease risk, but the relationship between fat intake and ischemic stroke risk remains unclear. We hypothesized that total dietary fat as part of a Western diet is associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke.


METHODS
As part of the prospective Northern Manhattan Study, 3,183 stroke-free community residents over 40 years of age underwent evaluation of their medical history and had their diet assessed by a food-frequency survey. Cox proportional hazard models calculated risk of incident ischemic stroke.


RESULTS
The mean age of participants was 69 years, 63% were women, 21% were white, 24% black and 52% Hispanic. During a mean of 5.5 years of follow-up, 142 ischemic strokes occurred. After adjusting for potential confounders, risk of ischemic stroke was higher in the upper quintile of total fat intake compared to the lowest quintile (HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.0-2.7). Total fat intake >65 g was associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke (HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2-2.3). Risk was attenuated after controlling for caloric intake.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that increased daily total fat intake, especially above 65 g, significantly increases risk of ischemic stroke.
Boden-Albala
Bernadette
B
Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, N.Y., USA. bb87@columbia.edu
Elkind
Mitchell S V
MS
White
Halina
H
Szumski
Annette
A
Paik
Myunghee C
MC
Sacco
Ralph L
RL
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004032:Diet; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D004041:Dietary Fats