Olive Oyl

This is Olive Oyl

Olive Oil May Protect Against Stroke

June 17, 2011 — A diet rich in olive oil may reduce the risk for stroke in older adults, new research suggests.

In roughly 7600 elderly adults, higher olive oil consumption at baseline was associated with a lower incidence of stroke over roughly the next 5 years, after controlling for numerous confounding factors, including lifestyle and nutritional factors, stroke risk factors, and blood lipids.

Cecilia Samieri, PhD, from University of Bordeaux and the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) in Bordeaux, France, reported their findings online June 15 in Neurology.

"The high prevalence of stroke in older subjects emphasizes the need for primary and secondary prevention in this age group," they conclude. "Showing a strong association between intensive olive oil use and lower stroke incidence, our study suggests a novel approach of dietary recommendations to prevent stroke occurrence in elderly populations."

But the authors of a linked commentary caution against jumping to any conclusions, noting that the putative health benefits of olive oil, and a Mediterranean-style diet, are complex.