Sticking to seven healthy habits can almost halve your risk of stroke, study claims

According to one study, sticking to seven healthy habits can almost halve your stroke risk.

Researchers at the University of Texas at Houston say that a good diet and regular exercise can even balance out any genetic risks.

Other important steps are not smoking and losing weight.

Experts followed 11,500 middle-aged adults in the United States for nearly 30 years and examined how their lifestyles affect stroke risk.

The habits invented by the American Heart Association are called the “Life’s Simple 7”.

Although listed as seven, there are only four modifiable factors. The other three—maintaining normal blood pressure, controlling cholesterol, and lowering blood sugar—are chain-effects to staying healthy.

Strokes affect more than 100,000 Brits, killing 38,000 a year, making it the fourth biggest killer in the UK and a leading cause of disability.

About 800,000 people are affected each year in the United States, and 137,000 deaths occur.

Age, hypertension, smoking, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and diabetes are known to increase the risk of stroke.

Another risk factor is a family history of the condition, when a blood vessel becomes clogged or bursts, cutting off blood flow to parts of the brain.

The study followed 11,568 adults ages 45 to 64 for an average of 28 years, in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Participants were given a “polygenic stroke risk score” based on blood tests that identified mutations associated with the condition. This evaluated their probability of having a stroke during their lifetime, based on genetic factors.

Their medical records were also checked to see how well they followed their seven lifestyle habits.

Low cholesterol level was assessed based on the amount and amount of lipid-lowering drugs such as statins they were taking.

Blood pressure was measured by the drugs people were taking, while blood sugar levels were evaluated based on whether they were being treated for diabetes.

Smoking status was recorded, BMI indicated body weight, diet was assumed to be eating fruits and vegetables, and physical activity was measured in minutes per week.

Participants with the greatest genetic risk and the worst heart health had the highest lifetime risk of stroke, around 25 percent.

Those with the lowest polygenic risk score had a lifetime risk of 9.6%. People with an average score had a 13.8% risk.

But the analysis shows that for those who practice Life’s Simple 7, their genetic risk drops by 30 to 43 percent, regardless of their level.

After the applications, a paralysis-free life was provided for about six years.

Overall, the healthiest group saw the fewest stroke cases (6%), while the majority of cases were among those who followed the least habits (57%).

According to lead author Professor Myriam Fornage, a geneticist at the University of Texas at Houston, the findings hold promise for a screening program.

He said: “Our study confirmed that regulating lifestyle risk factors such as blood pressure control can offset the genetic risk of a stroke.

“We can use genetic information to identify who is most at risk and encourage them to adopt a healthy cardiovascular lifestyle, such as following the AHA’s Life’s Simple 7, we can reduce that risk and live a longer, healthier life.”