Siemens Stroke for Stroke

Get healthy with Stroke for Stroke

What you can do to prevent stroke

• High blood pressure is the most important causal risk factor for stroke
• Over 40% of all strokes could be prevented by tackling high blood pressure
• High salt intake is related to high blood pressure and so increases the risk of stroke.
• Research funded by The Stroke Association has shown that a person's ability to cope with stress can reduce their risk of having a stroke by around a quarter
• Even moderate physical activity can reduce the risk of stroke by up to 27%
• Research funded by The Stroke Association has shown that people who are physically fit after the age of 40 can halve their risk of stroke compared to those who are not fit.
• There is a strong relation between heavy drinking and stroke: Male drinkers of over 35 units a week have double the risk of mortality of stroke than non drinkers

Reduce salt consumption and take regular exercise

Siemens in conjunction with The Stroke Association conducted research into salt consumption and exercise habits of British people in 2009. The research revealed that an alarming number of British people are not following official advice to reduce their salt consumption and take regular exercise, in order to reduce their risk of suffering from serious health conditions such as stroke.

The survey*, conducted to launch the annual Stroke for Stroke campaign, found that less than half of those questioned (43%) believe they adhere to the GDA (Guideline Daily Amount) for salt of 6g per day. Also the vast majority (85%) of those questioned failed to take the government recommended 30 minutes of exercise five days a week. This lack of regular exercise, combined with a high salt intake, could lead to high blood pressure and an increased risk of stroke.

The research revealed a general lack of awareness about overall salt consumption and the level of salt found in foods. While 92% of those surveyed believe that too much salt is bad for their health, 40% were unable to correctly identify six grams or one teaspoon as the maximum recommended daily salt allowance for an adult and, worryingly, 64% of those questioned are not concerned about their salt intake.

Perhaps surprisingly, those aged under 18 are most conscientious about always looking at the salt content of foods before buying (21% compared to the national average of less than 10%), but this doesn't appear to lead to a reduction in the amount of ready-made and takeaway meals consumed by this age group. On average under-18s consume more than three of these types of meal per week, the highest of any age group, with 16% consuming seven or more every week.

The under 18s are also the least aware (53%, compared with 76% for all other age groups) that salt present in the food they buy is likely to constitute their main source of salt intake. In common with all other age groups, over three-quarters (78%) of under 18s regularly add more salt to their food during cooking or consumption, leading to a potentially very high weekly salt intake. This, coupled with the fact that 84% of young people exercise fewer than five times per week, means that this group could be increasingly at risk of serious health problems in later life.

*The research was carried out by One Poll in September 2009 and questioned 3,000 participants