Meat, White Flour Contribute to Stroke Risk, Study Suggests

Add stroke to the list of health problems caused by a diet rich in red meat, white flour and sugar, researchers said Thursday.

A study of more than 71,000 nurses found those who ate a “prudent” diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, legumes and whole grains were less likely to have strokes than nurses eating a more typical American diet.

Writing in the journal Stroke, a Harvard School of Public Health team said its study was the first to examine overall dietary habits and stroke risk.

Health experts already caution that a diet high in animal fat, especially red meat, and low in fiber, fruits and vegetables raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and obesity. Stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the United States, killing nearly 170,000 people in 2003.

“Dietary modification may be an important way to reduce the risk of stroke,” said Teresa Fung, assistant professor of nutrition at Simmons College in Boston, who led the study.