BACKGROUND: Obesity is seen as a worldwide chronic disease with high prevalence that has been associated with increased morbidity from many conditions including stroke, which is the third leading cause of death in developed countries and a leading cause of severe long-term disability. The causal association between overweight or obesity and stroke is unclear and there is no definite study clarifying the role of obesity treatment in the prevention of a first stroke (primary prevention). Given the prevalence of stroke and the enormous health and economic cost of the disease, it is important to establish the possible impact of weight reduction per se on stroke incidence. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of weight reduction in people with overweight or obesity on stroke incidence. SEARCH STRATEGY: Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, LILACS, databases of ongoing trials and reference lists were used to identify relevant trials. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials comparing any intervention for weight reduction (single or combined) with placebo or no intervention in overweight or obese people. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: No trials were found in the literature for inclusion in this review. MAIN RESULTS: There are currently no results to be reported. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Obesity seems to be associated with an increased risk of stroke and it has been suggested that weight loss may lead to a reduction of stroke occurrence. However, this hypothesis is not based on strong scientific evidence resulting from randomised controlled clinical trials. This systematic review identified the urgent need for well-designed, adequately-powered, multi centre randomised controlled trials assessing the effects of weight reduction in persons with overweight or obesity on stroke occurrence.

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