"Should people at high risk of heart attack https and stroke https eat dark chocolate https every day Maybe according to a new study from Australia. Dark chocolate https may be a pleasant and effective way of delivering important dietary components that can provide health benefits to the ever increasing numbers of people at increased risk of cardiovascular disease https says researcher Christopher M. Reid PhD professor of cardiovascular epidemiology and preventive medicine at Monash University in Australia. Reid and his team constructed a mathematical model to predict the longterm health effects of eating dark chocolate https daily in highrisk people. They did not study actual people eating actual chocolate https The researchers also computed whether it would be costeffective to spend money on a public education campaign about dark chocolates benefits. They found it would be. Several studies have found that dark chocolate with its heart https flavonols can lower blood pressure https and improve cholesterol https However Reid believes theirs is the first study to model the longterm effects of eating dark chocolate in reducing cardiovascular risk. The study is published in the journal BMJ. Chocolate to Prevent Heart Attacks Reids team first looked at the treatment effects linked with dark chocolate by evaluating studies already published. They computed the number of heart attacks https and strokes that would occur with and without the dark chocolate. They also looked at  people from the Australian Diabetes https Obesity https and Lifestyle study. All had metabolic syndrome https but none had diagnosed heart disease https or diabetes https at the start. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of heart disease https and stroke https It is diagnosed when three or more of the following factors are present high blood pressure https high triglycerides https low levels of good HDL cholesterol https high blood sugar https_assetscontrolled_contenthealthwisemedicaltestblood_glucose_medicaltest_hw.xml or a large waist size. Reids team looked at costs associated with the heart and stroke https problems. They used these cost figures to determine how much money could be spent each year to educate highrisk people about dark chocolate and still be costeffective. Their study looked longerterm than most  years Reid says. Dark Chocolate to Prevent Heart Disease Stroke First the researchers plugged in the bestcase scenario  of the people eating the recommended  grams of dark chocolate . ounces or about two bars a day for  years. This would prevent  nonfatal and  fatal heart attacks https and strokes per  people over  years according to the study model. With an  adherence rate there would be  fewer nonfatal and  fewer fatal heart attacks and strokes per  people over  years. The estimates may be low Reid says. They found that it would be costeffective to spend  per person per year on education. The education might include advertising educational campaigns or subsidies to pay for the chocolate Reid says. Other Experts Not Convinced The new model drew mixed reactions from U.S. chocolate researchers. Its overassuming the benefits says Eric Ding PhD nutritionist and epidemiologist at Harvard Medical School. He reviewed the findings. They are basing their estimates on heart disease https intermediate risk factors blood pressure and cholesterol https and not on actual heart disease events like heart attacks Ding tells WebMD. The researchers are ignoring some downsides he says. They are ignoring the dangers of too many calories and too much fat and sugar from the chocolate bar he says. Those at risk of heart attack and stroke should first focus on lifestyle Ding says. That includes weight loss https if needed exercising https regularly and not smoking https Joe Vinson PhD professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton and a longtime chocolate researcher likes the study even though it has limitations. Its all theoretical based on statistics he says. Even so he says Its wonderful news again on the health effects of dark chocolate for people who have a little higher risk of heart problems than the normal person. With their doctors approval people at risk of heart attacks or strokes could eat a bit of dark chocolate daily and monitor their weight https_assetscontrolled_contenthealthwisespecialweight_managementare_you_at_a_healthy_weight_special_aa.xml and blood pressure Vinson suggests. He recommends eating less than  grams used in the model. He suggests about  grams or about one chocolate bar daily. Reid suggests that the chocolate should be dark and at least  cocoa. The research was supported by an Australian Research Council grant with SanofiAventis Australia."