Modelling eating practices in non-fatal acute coronary syndrome or stroke development: A case/case-control study C.M. Kastorini a,b , H.J. Milionis a , E. Georgousopoulou b , M.S. Kostapanos a , M. Yannakoulia b , V. Nikolaou c , K.N. Vemmos d , J.A. Goudevenos a , D.B. Panagiotakos b, * a School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece b Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, 70 Eleftheriou Venizelou St., 17671 Athens, Greece c Cardiology Clinic, “Hellenic Red Cross” Hospital, Athens, Greece d Acute Stroke Unit, Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece Received 26 August 2011; received in revised form 23 December 2011; accepted 23 December 2011 Available online 28 March 2012 KEYWORDS Coronary heart disease; Stroke; Eating practices; Dinner-to-sleep time; Stress; Television Abstract Background and aims: Although significant evidence exists regarding the role of specific foods and dietary patterns on the development of cardiovascular disease, the influ- ence of eating practices has not been thoroughly examined and understood. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the independent role of eating practices on the likelihood of developing an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or ischemic stroke. Methods and results: During 2009e2010, 1000 participants were enrolled; 250 were consec- utive patients with a first ACS, 250 were consecutive patients with a first ischemic stroke and 500 were population-based control subjects (250 ageesex matched one-for-one with ACS patients, and 250 ageesex matched one-for-one with stroke patients). Eating practices were evaluated using a special questionnaire. Socio-demographic, clinical, psychological, dietary and other lifestyle characteristics were also measured. After controlling for poten- tial confounding factors, each 20 min prolongation of dinner-to-sleep time was associated with 10% lower likelihood of ischemic stroke (95%CI: 0.83e0.98). Furthermore, eating prac- tices related to stress (i.e., eating while being stressed, eating while working at the same time, skipping a meal due to work obligations) were associated with higher likelihood of having an ACS. Finally, eating while watching television was associated with lower likeli- hood of having an ACS (OR: 0.46, 95%CI: 0.27 e0.78) or stroke event (OR: 0.42, 95%CI: 0.23e0.77). * Corresponding author. Tel.: þ30 210 9603116; fax: þ30 210 9600719. E-mail address: d.b.panagiotakos@usa.net (D.B. Panagiotakos). 0939-4753/$ - see front matter ª 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2011.12.013 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/nmcd Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases (2013) 23, 242e249