Nutrition and stroke.

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and certainly the major cause of disability in the world. WHO has estimated that between 1990 to 2020 the world will witness an increase in stroke mortality of 78% in woman and 106% in man. Much of this increase will be in developing countries which are witnessing rapid change in lifestyle and nutrition, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, atrial fibrillation, hyperlipidemia, Homocysteinemia, and alcohol are the most significant modifiable risk factors of stroke. Of these, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, hyperlipidemia, homocysteinemia and alcoholism are obviously affected by lifestyle and nutrition. However, whilst epidemiology studies have noted an association of nutritional practice with stroke risk, further research is needed to show how nutritional interventions can be effective in stroke prevention.