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# Low fat dairy products may help cut stroke risk
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/low_fat_dairy_products_stroke_0424120915/
- Published: 2012-04-24T22:14:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T15:46:26.000Z
- Description: Following 74,961 Swedish adults for a decade, Larsson's team found those in the top quintile of low-fat dairy intake were 12 percent less likely to have a stroke and 13 percent less likely to suffer a cerebral infarction. Total dairy, full-fat dairy, milk, cheese and cream showed no link.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Food, Nutrition, Stroke, Dairy, #vivvo-import

By David Liu, PHD

Tuesday April 24, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- Eating low fat dairy products may help cut stroke risk, according to a new observational study released on April 19, 2012 in the journal Stroke.

The study led by Susanna C. Larsson, PhD of Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden and colleagues found people whose intake of low fat dairy products was in the highest quintile were 12 percent less likely to suffer total stroke and 13 percent less likely to experience cerebral infarction, compared to those whose intake was in the lowest quintile.

However, the study also found "Consumption of total dairy, full-fat dairy, milk, sour milk/yogurt, cheese, and cream/crème fraiche was not associated with stroke risk."

The study involved 74,961 Swedish women and men who were free of cardiovascular disease and cancer at baseline and were followed 10 year during which 4089 cases of stroke including 3159 cerebral infarctions, 583 hemorrhagic strokes and 347 unspecified strokes were identified. The participants were asked to complete a 96-item food frequency questionnaire in 1997.

The researchers concluded "Consumption of low-fat dairy foods was inversely associated with risk of total stroke and cerebral infarction."

It should be noted that this is an association only and the finding does not mean that indeed eating low fat dairy products may help cut stroke risk even though the possibility couldn't be excluded either.

Stroke is a leading cause of death. In the United States, 800,000 people in the U.S. each year from cardiovascular disease and strokes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The risk of stroke is associated with a person's lifestyle, particularly his diet. Citric fruit such as oranges, vitamin D, foods with loads of antioxidants, and high potassum foods help cut the risk while transfat, diabetes, and red meat may increase the risk.

Key Words: dairy, diet, epidemiology, milk, prospective studies, stroke