A comparative assessment of the burden of stroke (in disability-adjusted life-years [DALYs]) attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors between regions and countries is crucial for education campaigns, evidence-based planning, priority setting, and resource allocation in stroke prevention. Understanding of the contribution of each risk factor to changes in stroke burden is important to establish country-specific and region-specific policies for both short-term and long-term population welfare. Documenting how much of the worldwide burden of stroke can be explained by lifestyle, environmental and occupational exposures, and metabolic risk factors allows quantification of the magnitude of stroke burden associated with various risks and prioritisation of preventive strategies at the global, regional, and national levels.