Causal effects of 32 eating habits on ischemic stroke risk and post-stroke functional outcome: A Mendelian randomization study
Eating cheese, dried fruit, and muesli shows causal links to lower stroke risk in genetic studies, supporting dietary approaches to brain health.
This two-sample MR study using GWAS data from European populations found causal evidence for protective effects of cheese, dried fruit, and muesli on ischemic stroke risk, with effects partly independent of lipid and blood pressure mediation. No causal association was found for post-stroke functional recovery.
What the study was
- Study design
- Two-sample Mendelian randomization
- Population
- European ancestry GWAS participants (summary-level data)
- Category
- Prevention
- Maturity
- Exploratory
- Journal
- Journal of International Medical Research
Why it surfaced
Mendelian randomization provides some causal evidence for diet-stroke relationship, but European-only dataset and modest journal limit generalizability. Numerically interesting (muesli OR 0.20) but requires replication.
A plain-language summary of published research — not medical advice. Talk to a clinician about your own care.