The world is facing a looming epidemic of stroke.1 Although the incidence of stroke in high-income countries declined by about 42% (1%/y) between 1970 and 2008, concurrent with a reduction in the prevalence and level of causal risk factors in the population, the incidence of stroke in low-income countries increased by about 225% (5.6%/y) in the same period, concurrent with increasing exposure of the population to raised blood pressure, smoking, physical inactivity, and Westernized diets that are low in fruit and vegetables but high in salt and fat, as well as an increasing average age of the population.1,2