The largest study to date on the relationship of stroke to red meat consumption suggests higher intake of processed meat, but not fresh red meat, is associated with an increased risk for stroke, including cerebral infarction.

-Team@CMHF

• In the study of 40,291 Swedish men, there were 2409 cases of stroke during 10 years.
• The researchers found that the relative risk for stroke for those who had the highest intake of processed meat compared with those who at the least amount of processed meat was 1.23 (95% confidence interval, 1.07 – 1.40; P = .004).
• Men who ate more fresh red meat also had an increased risk for stroke, but the association was not significant.
• Processed meat was associated with a significantly increased risk for cerebral infarction (relative risk, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.01 – 1.38; P = .03) but not with hemorrhagic stroke.
• Meats that consumers often think are healthier, such as low-fat deli turkey, ham, and bologna, may actually increase the risk for stroke if intake is high enough.

Are Sodium, Nitrites the Culprits?

• Subjects in the study were drawn from the Cohort of Swedish Men, where all men aged 45 to 79 years residing in 2 counties of central Sweden received a questionnaire that included 350 questions about diet and lifestyle.
• Among those who completed the questionnaire, men with a history of stroke, heart disease, or cancer at baseline were excluded.
• Cases of stroke were ascertained through Swedish hospital and death registries.
• Participants were asked to report how often they had consumed fresh red meat and processed meat and other foods in the past year.
• The researchers also collected data on body mass index, aspirin use, history of diabetes and hypertension, alcohol consumption, and family history of heart disease, as well as subjects’ smoking history and level of physical activity.
• The investigators speculate that sodium in processed meats, which can contribute to the development of hypertension if intake is high enough, might contribute to a higher risk for stroke by promoting vascular stiffness or oxidative stress.
• Nitrites used as preservatives may also contribute to increased stroke risk.
• Because there was no association between fresh red meat and stroke in the study, it’s unlikely that heme iron or cholesterol in processed meats could explain the findings, the investigators noted.

Findings Should Be Taken Seriously

• Although the study contradicts some previous studies on the relationship between processed red meat and stroke, the statistical power of the study was robust enough to be taken seriously
• It is difficult to assess how processed meat contributes to stroke risk.
• It’s hard to know whether to blame the salt, the preservatives, or the nitrite in the preservatives for the increased risk of stroke seen in this study.
• It was also pointed out that the group with the highest intake of processed meat in the Swedish study also had a healthier diet overall, including more fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.
• It suggests that the effects of processed meat may confound the benefit of a heart-healthy diet.

For further reading log on to

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/748324?src=mpnews&spon=34