Habitual physical activity reduces the risk of ischemic stroke: a case-control study in southern china.

BACKGROUND: To ascertain the relationship between habitual physical activity and the risk of ischemic stroke among the Chinese population. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted in Foshan, Guangdong Province, during 2007-2008. Information on physical activity exposure and lifestyle characteristics was obtained from 374 incident ischemic stroke patients and 464 hospital-based controls (mean age 66 years) using a validated and reliable questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between physical activity levels and the ischemic stroke risk. RESULTS: The control subjects reported significantly longer duration of strenuous sports and moderate activity in recent daily life than the stroke patients. Increased engagements in such leisure time activities were associated with reduced risks of ischemic stroke after adjustment for confounding factors. A significant inverse dose-response relationship was also found for total physical activity exposure, with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.25 (95% confidence interval = 0.14-0.45) for older adults engaged in 22 or more metabolic equivalent task hours per week relative to those engaged in less than 10 metabolic equivalent task hours per week. CONCLUSIONS: The study provided evidence of an inverse association between habitual physical activity and the risk of ischemic stroke, which is important for the promotion and encouragement of leisure time exercise activities among elderly Chinese adults.

Soy consumption reduces risk of ischemic stroke: a case-control study in southern china.

BACKGROUND: Experimental studies have suggested that soybean products may protect against ischemic stroke, but only limited epidemiological evidence is available. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to investigate the relationship between soy food consumption and the risk of ischemic stroke among the Chinese population. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted in southern China during 2007-2008. Soy food consumption, dietary intake and lifestyle information were obtained from 374 incident ischemic stroke patients and 464 hospital-based controls. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between soy food intake and the ischemic stroke risk. RESULTS: The mean weekly soy food intake was significantly lower (p = 0.001) among cases (89.9, SD = 239.3 g) than control subjects (267.7, SD = 426.1 g). Increased consumptions of dried soybean, tofu, soymilk and total soy foods were associated with reduced risks of ischemic stroke after adjusting for confounding factors. The corresponding adjusted odds ratios for the highest versus lowest level (<50 g) of intake were 0.20 (95% confidence interval = 0.09-0.48), 0.56 (0.36-0.89), 0.18 (0.06-0.51) and 0.23 (0.14-0.39), with significant dose-response relationships observed. CONCLUSION: The results provided evidence of inverse association between habitual soy food consumption and the risk of ischemic stroke for Chinese adults.

Tea consumption and ischemic stroke risk: a case-control study in southern China.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although experimental studies have suggested that tea consumption may reduce the risk of ischemic stroke, available epidemiological evidence is equivocal, mainly due to the lack of accurate measurements on tea exposure. This study aims to ascertain the relationship between tea drinking and ischemic stroke risk. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted in southern China from 2007 to 2008. A total of 374 patients with incident ischemic stroke and 464 control subjects (mean age, 69 years) were recruited from 3 hospitals in Foshan. Information on frequency and duration of tea drinking, quantity of dried tea leaves, and types of tea consumed, together with habitual diet and lifestyle characteristics, was obtained from participants using a validated and reliable questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were performed for tea consumption variables accounting for confounders that affect the ischemic stroke risk. RESULTS: A significant decrease in ischemic stroke risk was observed for drinking at least one cup of tea weekly (P=0.015) when compared with infrequent or nondrinkers, the risk reduction being largest by drinking one to 2 cups of green or oolong tea daily. Significant inverse dose-response relationships were also found for years of drinking and the amount of dried tea leaves brewed. The adjusted ORs for the highest level of consumption in terms of frequency of intake, duration of drinking, and average tea leaves brewed were 0.61 (95% CI, 0.40 to 0.94), 0.40 (95% CI, 0.25 to 0.64), and 0.27 (95% CI, 0.16 to 0.46), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term tea consumption is associated with reduced risk of ischemic stroke.

Hospitalizations for incident stroke in Shunde District, Foshan, South China.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in China. Accurate diagnosis of stroke type requires advanced imaging techniques. However, CT scan and MRI were not widely used in China until the middle 1990s. We estimate the stroke incidence based on stroke hospitalizations in Shunde District, Foshan, south China. METHODS: Stroke hospitalization rates were calculated for different age strata using the number of cases observed and the population size of Shunde in 2005 and 2006. RESULTS: The age-adjusted hospitalization rates (per 100,000 person-years) for all strokes were 57.4 overall, 65.1 for males and 50.0 for females, standardized according to Segi's world population. CONCLUSION: The stroke incidence appeared to be lower in Shunde than those reported for other parts of China.

The reliability of dietary and lifestyle information obtained from spouses in an elderly chinese population.

In many health studies of the elderly population, the subjects have cognitive or linguistic impairments, so data need to be collected from surrogates. This study compares dietary and lifestyle information reported by elderly Chinese with those provided by their spouses. Community couples 60 years and older were recruited to participate in an interview. One person from each couple was randomly chosen as the index person. Characteristics concerning the index person were then solicited from that person and separately from his or her spouse using validated questionnaires. For the 128 food items considered, the mean kappa was 0.73 for both frequency (SD 0.18) and amount (SD 0.22) of intake, and more than 70% of the couples had kappa statistics exceeding 0.61. Food items exhibiting high agreement between the spouses include rice, apples, tomatoes, and pork chops. The proportion of perfect agreement was higher than 80% for physical activity, smoking, and tea drinking behaviors. In conclusion, the spouse can serve as a proxy to provide reliable information when his or her partner is unavailable.