Trans Fat Intake Ups Stroke Risk in Women

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.Older women whose diets include a substantial amount of trans fats are more likely than their counterparts to suffer an ischemic stroke, according to a new study published in the journal Annals of Neurology. Results also found the risk of stroke associated with trans fat intake was lower among women taking aspirin.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina conducted a study of 87,025 women ages 50 to 79 enrolled in the Womens Health Initiative Observational Study (1994 to 2005) to investigate the association between trans fat intake and ischemic stroke. They found those whose diets contained the largest amounts of trans fats were 39% more likely to have an ischemic stroke than women who ate the least amount of trans fat. The risk was even more pronounced among non-users of aspirin. Those who ate the most trans fat were 66% more likely to have an ischemic stroke than females who ate the least trans fat.

Among women who took aspirin over an extended period of time, researchers found no association between trans fat consumption and stroke risk, suggesting that regular aspirin use may counteract trans fat intakes adverse effect on stroke risk among women.

Our findings highlight the importance of limiting the amount of dietary trans fat intake and using aspirin for primary ischemic stroke prevention among women, especially among postmenopausal women who have elevated risk of ischemic stroke," the researchers said.

A separate study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found blood levels of trans-fatty acids in Caucasian U.S. adults decreased by 58% from 2000 to 2009. The reduction is thought to be associated with the nearly decade-old federally mandated labeling of trans fats on food labels.