ABC News: A new study presented at last week's International Stroke Conference in San Diego has found an association between people living in regions with 33 QSR restaurants or more and a higher percentage of stroke — 13 percent greater than those living in neighborhoods with the fewest QSRs.
Researchers cautioned that the findings are purely associative and do not necessarily point to a direct link between the restaurants' offerings and potentially deadly stroke. The authors of the study say it's also possible that QSRs cluster in neighborhoods where more people make unhealthy choices such as smoking, drinking excessive alcohol and not exercising.
The National Restaurant Association said in a statement that the research is misleading and that "it tells us nothing about the eating and exercise habits of the individuals involved."
