Staying physically fit after 40 cuts risk of stroke
People who are physically fit after the age of 40 can lower their risk of stroke by as much as 50 per cent compared to people who aren’t as physically fit, according to research published in the Journal Neurology. The study, part funded by The Stroke Association, examined 13,615 men and women in the United Kingdom from 1993 to 1997 who were between the ages of 40 and 79 and had not suffered a stroke, heart attack or cancer. The participants were then asked to complete a self-reporting test on their physical function 18 months later that looked at how well they were able to climb stairs, carry groceries, kneel, bend and lift. Researchers monitored how many strokes were suffered in this group through 2005. The study found that people who scored in the top quartile on the physical function test had a 50 per cent lower risk of stroke than those with the lowest test scores. This finding remained unchanged after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, high blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, physical activity, social class, alcohol consumption and respiratory function. It was also found for every increase of 10 points on the test, men reduced their risk of stroke by 19 per cent and women cut their risk by 29 per cent. The author of the study Phyo Kyaw Myint commented: `People who reported better physical health had significantly lower risk of stroke; this is independent of the known risk factors for stroke in the general population. This physical function test may identify apparently healthy men and women at an increased risk of stroke who may benefit the most from preventative treatments.'
