Overall diet quality and risk of stroke: A prospective cohort study in women

Data on overall diet quality in relation to stroke risk are sparse. We examined the association between consumption of a diversity of recommended and non-recommended foods and risk of stroke. The study population comprised 33 911 Swedish women who had completed a questionnaire in 1997 and were free from cardiovascular disease and cancer. We calculated a Recommended Food Score (RFS) based on 25 healthy food items and a Non-Recommended Food Score (NRFS), consisting of 21 food items considered less healthy. Stroke cases were identified through linkage to Swedish registers. During 11 years of follow-up, we ascertained 1687 stroke cases. The multivariable relative risks of stroke for the highest versus lowest quintile were 0.80 (95% CI, 0.67–0.95) for RFS and 1.22 (95% CI, 1.02–1.46) for NRFS. In conclusion, these findings suggest that a diet including a variety of healthy foods and few less healthy foods may reduce stroke risk.