Diets rich in fat seen as dangerous.

Catholic.org reported that Women over the age of 50 who consume a diet rich in fat face a far greater risk for strokes.”It’s a tremendous increase that is potentially avoidable. What’s bad for the heart is bad for the brain,” Dr. Emil Matarese, stroke chief at St. Mary Medical Center says.

A recent study has found a 30 percent greater risk of stroke among women eating the most trans fat, found commonly in fried foods, crackers and cookies.

Results of a study at the American Stroke Association conference revealed that women who ate the most fat had a 44 percent higher risk of the most common type of stroke compared to those who ate the least. The study involved 87,230 participants in the Women’s Health Initiative.

There were reported 288 strokes in the group of women who consumed the most fat each day (95 grams) versus 249 strokes in the group eating the least fat (25 grams).

The study also found a 30 percent greater risk of stroke among women eating the most trans fat, found commonly in fried foods, crackers and cookies.

Women before menopause traditionally are at a much lower risk for stroke that men of a similar age. After menopause, the risk of stroke rises and the gender advantage disappears.

This has all changed with national obesity rates and increasingly poor diets.

Doctors recommend that more women look at labels to see how much fat is in their food. “This is a simple way that any woman, especially postmenopausal women, can improve their health. Simply avoiding fried foods is a big one,” one researcher says.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting fat to less than 25 to 35 percent of total calories, and trans fat to less than 1 percent.