Men in the U.S. are 61 percent more likely to suffer a stroke than European men. U.S. women have almost twice the likelihood of suffering a stroke than European women. These statistics were recently provided through a study at the American Stroke Association’s International Conference.

The study showed that the difference was largely due to a higher rate of risk factors which are present among Americans. There are also several barriers to receiving the proper health care amongst the poorer populations in the US as opposed to Europe’s poor. The difference in the likelihood of stroke was more marked between poor Americans and poor Europeans. Rich people in both countries seemed to find it relatively easy to obtain the proper health care.

The specific analysis looked at socioeconomic status and major risk factors including smoking, obesity, alcohol consumption, diabetes and physical activity which all tend to differ across different cultures. Prevalence for stroke was highest in the US and lowest in Spain, Greece, Switzerland and Italy. This is partly believed to be a result of a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fish as well as lower fat which tends to alleviate the risks of heart disease. It was additionally held that certain cultural conveniences such as those related to transportation might make Americans less prone to physical activity and healthy diets than many Europeans.

Source: American Heart Association