Adherence
Adherence to ≥6 unhealthy lifestyle factors (smoking, overweight, physical inactivity, low fruit/veg intake, unbalanced diet) is associated with a 22.67-fold higher risk of stroke compared to 0-1 factors.
Your lifestyle choices compound. Having multiple unhealthy habits (smoking, inactivity, poor diet, overweight) drastically multiplies your stroke risk. To protect yourself, prioritize fixing the most impactful factors first: stop smoking, increase physical activity, and ensure you eat enough fruits and vegetables daily. Even small improvements in these areas significantly lower your risk.
Compared with participants with 0 to 1 unhealthy lifestyle factors, the stroke risk was 1.75-fold, 2.70-fold, and 22.67-fold higher in those with 2 to 3, 4 to 5, and ≥6 unhealthy lifestyle factors, respectively.
Why this rating
Retrospective case-control study with large sample size (N=3734) and adjustment for multiple confounders, but limited by self-reported data and cross-sectional design.
Source
Influence of lifestyle on stroke risk among adults over 40 years in northern China: A retrospective case-control study
Jiantao Yu et al. · Medicine · 2025
DOI 10.1097/md.0000000000045707
More from this paper
- Adequate fruit and vegetable intake (>5 days/week meeting ≥100g/day threshold) and a balanced meat-vegetable diet are protective against stroke, reducing risk by approximately 41-57% compared to low intake or vegan diets.Good
- Smoking, overweight (BMI ≥24), and physical inactivity are independent risk factors for stroke, increasing risk by 1.18-1.22 fold and 1.75 fold respectively compared to non-smokers, normal weight, and active individuals.Good
Related findings · Adherence
- Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity) reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by 20-30% and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25-35%.Strong
- Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
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