I have a confession: I love McDonald's cheeseburgers. This is not something I'm proud of, as I try to avoid mass-produced foods in general. But when I see those double arches, I often can't help myself. Part of the problem is that I regularly do see those arches, as there is a McDonald's close to my house. Would I give in to my cravings as often if that cheeseburger (and, let's be honest, fries) were more than a few blocks away? Probably not. For me, and no doubt many others, proximity to fast-food breeds consumption. Now, a new study suggests that easy access to fast-food may also be tied to a higher risk of stroke.
The study, which was presented at this year's International Stroke Conference, looked at the risk of stroke in 64 neighborhoods in Nueces County, Texas, which includes Corpus Christi. From January 2000 through June 2003, researchers identified 1,247 strokes caused by blood clots (ischemic strokes). They found the risk of stroke was 13 percent higher in those neighborhoods with the most fast-food restaurants, compared to those with the least. Overall, the stroke risk increased with each additional fast-food eatery in the neighborhoods.
This study was not designed to show cause-and-effect, so it can't prove that having many fast-food restaurants nearby actually raised the risk of stroke. Indeed, there might have been other things that made strokes more common in these neighborhoods. For example, perhaps the residents were more likely to smoke or less likely to exercise. That said, the researchers were able to take into account three things that are known to affect the risk of stroke: age, race, and sex. This makes the link between stroke risk and fast-food availability stronger.
What you need to know. To their credit, fast-food restaurants have introduced healthier menu items in recent years, but many favorites are still high in calories and artery-clogging fats. Regularly dining on these types of foods can increase your risk of all sorts of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Food for thought if you have a weakness for fast-food like I do, and temptation is literally right around the corner.
—Sophie Ramsey, patient editor, BMJ Group
ConsumerReportsHealth.org has partnered with The BMJ Group to monitor the latest medical research and assess the evidence to help you decide which news you should use.
Read more on defensive eating at fast-food restaurants, and see our tips on stroke prevention.
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