The Stroke Association response to the Lancet report: Eating five portions of fruit and veg substantially cuts risk of stroke

Joe Korner, Director of Communications for The Stroke Association comments:

'The Stroke Association has been advocating eating five pieces of fruit and vegetables day for some years because we know that doing so reduces your risk of stroke. This latest research is very important because it shows just how significant this simple life style change can be in reducing strokes.

'Simply increasing daily intake of fruit and vegetables to five or more a day could reduce the number of strokes by 26%. In the UK that would mean nearly 40,000 strokes a year. At least a further 20,000 (14% of) strokes could be prevented by better control of high blood pressure through reducing salt intake, better exercise and stopping smoking.

'Awareness of strokes and how to prevent them is too low so it is extremely urgent that this vital message gets across to people through concerted health promotion and awareness campaigning'.

Ends

For further information please contact the Press Office at The Stroke Association on 020 7566 1500

Notes to editor

Link to The Lancet: http://www.thelancet.com/

back to top|