Burgers And Fries Lead to Stroke?

news you may not know

Yes, it's Tasty, but...

Do you love a big double-decker cheeseburger? Or, is it simply not worth it unless you supplement it with a super-sized order of fries and wash it down with a chocolate shake? Ah, yes -- fast food is truly one of the joys of life. In the short run, at least...

Now, of course, comes the more sobering portion of the message.

Consider these numbers: 13%, 1%, 12, 33, 780,000, 150,000, 15% -- 30%.

OK, so that's a bit unfair. Let's unravel these numbers just a bit.

13%. That's the increased risk of having a stroke if you live in the neighborhood with the highest density of fast food restaurants.

1%. You have a 1% increased risk of having a stroke for each additional fast food restaurant located within your neighborhood.

12. Having fewer than 12 fast food restaurants in the neighborhood puts you in the lower category.

33. Having more than 33 fast food restaurants in the neighborhood puts you at the other end of the scale.

780,000. The number of Americans who will suffer a stroke this year.

150,000. The number of Americans who will die as a result of their stroke this year.

15% to 30%. This is the number of survivors of stroke who will suffer a permanent disability.

... yes, it is quite sobering.

The information above comes from a new study conducted by the University of Michigan's stroke program.

So, the next time you find yourself hustling to your favorite fast food drive through -- do a little math. Then, order the garden salad with the light vinaigrette dressing.

To read more about the study, see this from Reuters. To learn more about eating a healthy diet, see this from the Harvard School of Public Health.