People with high blood pressure are at greater risk for stroke than those without hypertension. So it should be of interest that eating fish could reduce the risk of stroke.

An analysis of the eating habits of nearly 80,000 women over a 14-year period showed that eating fish reduces the risk for strokes - and eating more fish reduces the risk more. Compared with those who ate fish less than once a month, those eating it more often had a lower total risk. (See box.)

How often to eat fish   Reduction in risk of stroke   Once a week   22% reduction in risk   2 – 4 times/week   27% reduction   5+ times/week   52% reduction

Those who had fish twice or more a week had a significantly lower risk of having the most common type of stroke, the ones caused by a blood clot. This was especially true among women who do not take aspirin regularly. There was no impact, however, on the risk of the other major type of stroke, the ones caused by bleeding into the brain.