Could Living Near Fast Food Districts Increase Your Rate of Stroke?

Could living in an area with zones of fast food restaurants increase your chance of having a stroke? According to a study coming out of the University of Michigan it just might. Dr. Lewis Morgenstern plans on presenting the findings of a study to the American Stroke Association during an international conference in which he will highlight the link between residents living near what are known as “fast food zones” and an increased rate of strokes.

Dr. Morgenstern's results come from a 3 year study in which he followed the health of 1,200 residents living in a county of Texas. Of those 1,200 residents that were monitored during that three years he found that those who lived in neighborhoods filled with fast food restaurants had a 13% higher rate of strokes as opposed to the residents who lived in areas less populated by the familiar quick and easy greasy spoons.

While Dr. Morgenstern sees a clear and obvious connection between the numbers of fast food restaurants and the increase chance of having a stroke, the reason for this connection is somewhat of a debate. Some argue that it may be a reflection of a generally unhealthy lifestyle found in the areas where higher populations are responsible for larger number of fast food restaurants which may or may not have any direct correlation to the restaurants themselves; a stance somewhat favored by those in the industry who argue that the study is flawed and deny the health implications.

However, for many, this connection has a much more obvious explanation. The fast food industry has seen such a great success due more to the convenience that it offers than anything else. Therefore it makes sense that if I live in a community where I have easy access to these places I am more likely to eat there on a regular basis. The food at many of these places are loaded with meals that are high in fat, cholesterol, and sodium while offering little in the way of solid nutrition for the overloaded amount of calories that you get-all of which spells a health disaster in the making. Therefore, more fast food choices often means a diet that posses greater risk for a stroke. On the other hand, if getting to a fast food joint is a bit out of the way and more of a hassle for those living in areas less populated by such places then those residents are more likely to seek alternatives which usually mean less of the fat ladened lunches that can lead to stroke and other health problems.

Does the study imply more than that? Could large numbers of fast food restaurants in a given community be a tell tale sign of an unhealthy community in general? While these possibilities are still under debate and are likely to draw more interest and further study after Dr. Morgenstern's presentation to the American Stroke Association's International Conference the results certainly give us even more incentive to seek out healthier diets and lifestyles that will help prevent our chances of stroke; after all, as the old saying goes “an ounce of prevention is better a pound of cure”.