Diet quality in patients with stroke

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Nutritional Science
• Stroke Medicine

Background:

• A healthy diet is linked to lower risks of major diseases like stroke, heart attack, cancer, and mortality.
• Dietary patterns significantly influence cardiovascular health and disease outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of healthy dietary habits among patients who recently experienced a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA).
• To assess the adherence to recommended daily intakes (RDI) for various nutrients in this patient group.

Main Methods:

• A convenience sample of 95 patients with recent ischemic stroke or TIA was recruited.
• Dietary quality was assessed using a 125-item Food Frequency Questionnaire.
• The percentage of patients meeting RDIs for macronutrients and key elements was calculated.

Main Results:

• Only 41% of patients (35% of men, 48% of women) had a healthy diet.
• Most patients met RDI for carbohydrates, total fat, n-3 fats, polyunsaturated fats, and protein.
• Critically, only 25.3% met sodium RDI and a mere 4.2% met potassium RDI, indicating excessive sodium and insufficient potassium intake.

Conclusions:

• The majority of patients with recent stroke or TIA were not adhering to a healthy diet prior to their event.
• High sodium and low potassium consumption were prevalent issues in this cohort.
• Dietary assessment and intervention should be a priority in stroke and TIA patient care.