Food insecurity increases risk of stroke recurrence
A new study has linked food insecurity to increased stroke risk factors, such as diabetes and high blood pressure increasing the risk of stroke recurrence. Food insecurity is the state of being without reliable access to adequate amounts of affordable, nutritious food.
The study from a Chicago Hospital presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2017, evaluated 216 patients in the outpatient neurology clinic using a standardized two-question screening tool and reviewing electronic medical records. Forty-nine (22.7%) of the participants were identified as food insecure. Sixty-four patients were diagnosed with stroke; of these, 18.8% were found to be food insecure.
In the food insecure stroke group, 84.6% also had hypertension; 58.3% had diabetes and 16.7% had a previous stroke. While, among stroke survivors not labelled food insecure, 67.3% had hypertension; 28.8% had diabetes and 21.2% had a previous stroke.
