Fido Fights Top Stroke Risk Factors
According to a study to be published later this year in Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases, one in every three adults — both men and women — has cardiovascular disease. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and is the leading cause of long-term disability.
According to Annette Wessmann and colleagues in The Veterinary Journal, stroke is quite rare in dogs. Perhaps because they’re Fit As Fido?! What is it about us humans that puts us at such high risk?
A new study released in the journal Lancet evaluated people who had had a single stroke and healthy individuals of the same age and sex in 22 countries. By comparing what was different in those who had a had a stroke and those who had not, they were able to develop a list of top risk factors for having a stroke. These risk factors accounted for almost 90 percent of the risk for having a stroke.
Risk factors for stroke
- High blood pressure
- Current smoking
- Increased belly fat
- Poor diet
- Low physical activity
- Diabetes
- Drinking more than 30 drinks per month
- High stress level
- Depression
- Heart disease
- Abnormal cholesterol
What did the experts recommend? Efforts to increase exercise, eat right, quit smoking, and reducing blood pressure would substantially reduce the world’s burden from stroke. In other words — get Fit As Fido for simple, practical, and effective tips for reducing your physical and emotional risk factors for stroke.
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