If you’re a woman who’s struggled at times with your weight, especially in your youth, this is a cautionary tale…

There’s been a lot of conflicting information on weight and health status. But most experts agree that maintaining a healthy weight can improve many areas of health.

But a history of obesity can still carry a serious risk that women, especially, need to keep an eye on…

Research has found that women who were once overweight carry a much higher risk of stroke than women who never experience weight problems.

But armed with this information, you can take steps to avoid stroke…

Ischemic stroke: when a clot keeps blood from the brain

A Finnish study looked at 10,000 adults (both male and female) and found that women now in their 50s who were overweight or obese as a teen or younger adult have a markedly higher risk of suffering an ischemic stroke.

Of the two major types of stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic), ischemic strokes are far more common, accounting for about 87% of all strokes.

In an ischemic stroke, blood flow to the brain is blocked by a blood clot. The clot usually originates in an artery leading to the brain. It can also break loose from an artery elsewhere in the body and travel to the brain.

The study: what exactly are the risks?

After following their 10,000 study subjects from 1980 to 2020, the Finnish researchers concluded that:

• Women who were obese at age 14 were 87% more likely to have an early clot-caused or mini-stroke before age 55.
• Women who were obese at age 31 are 167% more likely to have a stroke compared to those who were not obese or overweight.

Here’s one interesting finding: men do not seem to be subject to these same risks.

Why women and not men?

The study drew no conclusions as to why women run this risk while men seem to get a pass.

However, things we know about perimenopause and menopause offer a partial explanation…

Most women enter perimenopause, the “pre-menopause” phase of life, in their early 40s and some as early as their late 30s.

During this time, estrogen levels plummet, and women lose the heart-protective effects of this hormone. For this reason, entering menopause before age 45 is just one of several factors unique to women that increase stroke risk.

How women can protect themselves

In addition to heart disease, diabetes and atrial fibrillation can impact stroke risk. Management of these health conditions is vital to reducing stroke risk.

Healthy lifestyle factors should be part of that:

• Diet. Women whose diets are high in triglycerides are four times more likely to have a stroke than women with lower levels. A Mediterranean-inspired diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy products, poultry, fish and nuts contains phytosterols, fiber and omega-3s that decrease triglycerides.
• Protective foods. Penn State research found that eating beets may give heart protection back to menopausal women.
• Exercising for at least 150 minutes each week is proven to prevent heart disease. Weight or resistance training less than a hour a week reduced risk for heart attack and stroke by 40 to 70 percent.
• Blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Research shows that high blood pressure and cholesterol levels raise the risk of heart disease. So, keep those numbers down during middle age for the sake of your heart. Yoga can help take your stroke number down 10 more points!
• Stress levels. Stress contributes to high blood pressure, which means it’s hard on the heart. Find ways to keep your stress levels down, like meditation, yoga, bodywork or even relaxing hobbies like gardening, sewing or woodworking.
• Smoking status. Not only does smoking increase the risk of early menopause, it also increases the risk of blood clots, decreases the flexibility of your arteries and lowers HDL (healthy) cholesterol levels — all of which are bad news for your heart health.

Just a couple of years ago, A study published in Stroke, a journal of the American Heart Association, found that drinking two or more diet drinks per day doubled stroke risk in some post-menopausal women. So, if you’re fan of diet drinks, think about ditching them, pronto.

Sources:

Women with excess weight as a teen or young adult may have higher stroke risk by age 55 — Eureka Alert

Overweight in Adolescence and Young Adulthood in Association With Adult Cerebrovascular Disease: The NFBC1966 Study — Stroke

Women and stroke: What you need to know — Mayo Clinic

Heart health after menopause — American Heart Association