These 3 avoidable risk factors have been causing cases to rise worldwide for 30 years

Globally, 11.9 million people had a stroke in 2021, a 70% increase since 1990, according to a new study published in the journal The Lancet Neurology and which will be presented at the World Stroke Congress in Abu Dhabi in October 2024.

Environmental and metabolic risk factors

In the same year, there were 93.8 million survivors and 7.3 million deaths related to stroke, an increase of 86% and 44% respectively compared to 1990. Stroke is therefore on the rise worldwide.

According to the researchers, these increases are due to population growth, aging of the population, but also to 23 environmental and metabolic risk factors. Among these, three are particularly important and avoidable: air pollution, rising temperatures and metabolic factors, such as type 2 diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.

In detail, scientists calculated the impact of different factors on the increase in strokes. The increase in the contribution of the main risk factors on strokes is significant:

• +88% for high body mass index (BMI)
• +72% for high temperatures
• +32% for high blood sugar
• +23% for a diet rich in sugary drinks
• +11% for low physical activity

Air pollution contributes to 14% of stroke-related deaths and disabilities

Ambient air pollution is another very big risk factor. Researchers have calculated that for Hemorrhagic strokesair pollution contributes to 14% of deaths and disabilities. This percentage is equal to smoking.

The authors note that since 2015, the increase has only affected certain geographic areas such as sub-Saharan Africa or Southeast Asia. The reason comes in particular from risk factors such as hypertension and metabolic diseases that affect populations in these regions more.

“The global growth in the number of people who develop stroke and die or are left disabled is increasing rapidly, suggesting that currently used stroke prevention strategies are not sufficiently effective.”says Professor Valery L Feigin, one of the authors, in a press releaseFaced with this phenomenon, he advocates that new prevention strategies be put in place on a global scale.

Every year, around 140,000 people suffer from strokes in France, according to the Regional Health Agency (ARS). Among them, 40,000 victims died, which represents the third leading cause of death in the country.