Japanese researchers recently found that being slightly overweight could limit the risk of disability after a stroke.
- Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is the leading cause of acquired physical disability in adults.
- A person who has suffered a stroke may have language problems, muscle tension or even sexual problems, which handicap them on a daily basis.
- A slight excess weight could have protective effects and limit the after-effects of a stroke, according to a recent Japanese study.
In France, a person suffers a stroke every four minutes, according to the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm). Language disorders, muscle tension, difficulty concentrating… The consequences of a stroke can be multiple. It is notably the leading cause of acquired physical disability in adults.
After-effects after a stroke: the protective effects of being slightly overweight highlighted
Weight could be a factor influencing the level of disability after a stroke, according to a study published in the journal Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation. Researchers at Kobe University (Japan) notably observed that slightly overweight stroke survivors are less likely to suffer from disability compared to people with a “normal” body mass index. “In my clinical practice, I have found that patients with thin physique often have difficulty recovering function, while people who are relatively overweight generally do better. This prompted me to study whether there is a demonstrable relationship between body size and functional disability after stroke”, explained Izawa Kazuhiro, co-author of the study and researcher at the Graduate School of Health Sciences at Kobe University.
Using a Japanese national database, the team studied anonymized data on diagnosis-procedure combinations for all cases of vascular and cardiac diseases in hospitals across Japan. The scientists were thus able to evaluate the influence of different factors (BMI, age, sex, disability score at the time of hospitalization) on the disability of more than half a million patients at the time of their discharge. the hospital.
According to the classification of the World Health Organization (WHO), Asian people with a BMI between 23 and 25 kg/m2 are considered overweight, and above that of obese people. Based on this data, researchers found that a BMI slightly above normal could be beneficial for recovering from a stroke with less disability.
How can we explain the link between excess weight and reduced risk of disability after a stroke?
Faced with this paradox between weight and the risk of post-stroke sequelae, the authors of the study put forward hypotheses. For Yuji Kanejimaa, co-author of the study and researcher at the Department of Public Health at Kobe University, this phenomenon could be linked to the age of the participants. “The median age in this study was 77 years, and people in this age group and above lose weight more easily. However, people with certain reserves may be more able to resist the nutritional challenge of a stroke and subsequent hospitalization, which effectively protects their nervous system”he indicated.
To support the words of his colleague, Izawa Kazuhiro also added that “For the public, this serves as a reminder that losing weight in old age is a disadvantage. For health care providers, the study suggests that they should closely monitor weight loss during hospitalization to prevent functional deficiencies.
