A high consumption of animal fat and cholesterol is associated with a REDUCED risk of stroke death

This study was published in Stroke 2004;35:1531

Study title and authors:
Animal Protein, Animal Fat, and Cholesterol Intakes and Risk of Cerebral Infarction Mortality in the Adult Health Study Catherine Sauvaget, MD; Jun Nagano, MD; Mikiko Hayashi, BA Michiko Yamada, MD

From the Department of Epidemiology (C.S., J.N., M.H.), Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Hiroshima, Japan

This paper can be accessed at: http://stroke.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/short/35/7/1531

 

The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of a diet rich in animal protein, animal fat, and cholesterol on the risk of cerebral infarction stroke death.  The study included 3,731 men and women, aged 35 to 89 years, who were followed for 17 years.

The study found:
(a) Those who consumed the most animal protein had a 55% reduced risk of cerebral infarction stroke death compared to those who consumed the least animal protein.
(b) Those who consumed the most animal fat had a 66% reduced risk of cerebral infarction stroke death compared to those who consumed the least animal fat.
(c) Those who consumed the most saturated fat had a 42% reduced risk of cerebral infarction stroke death compared to those who consumed the least saturated fat.
(d) Those who consumed the most cholesterol had a 66% reduced risk of cerebral infarction stroke death compared to those who consumed the least cholesterol.

Sauvaget concludes: "A high consumption of animal fat and cholesterol was associated with a reduced risk of stroke death".