Aspirin may counteract risk of stroke from high trans fat diet: study

Chapel Hill, NC – Women older than 50 who consume foods high in trans fat may face a higher risk of stroke than women with a healthier diet, but aspirin use could lower that risk, according to a study published online in the journal Annals of Neurology.

Researchers analyzed data from 87,025 postmenopausal women in American between the ages of 50 and 79 who participated in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study, a study abstract said.

Women with the highest trans fat diets were 39 percent more likely to have an ischemic stroke than women who ate the least amount of trans fats, researchers found. However, among women who took aspirin over an extended period of time, researchers found no association between trans fat consumption and stroke risk. Women who consumed the highest amount of trans fats were more likely to report they were smokers, had diabetes and were physically inactive, according to study authors.