Stroke represents one of the most important menaces to public health. A number of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors have been identified and studied in detail; among those, obesity, the new world epidemic, seems to be one of the most important in terms of prevention. The discovery of the secretory role of the adipose tissue and of adipokines has opened new fields of research. A number of studies have been published on their relation to cardiovascular risk and the potential of using them as prevention markers. In the present review the physiology of leptin, adiponectin and resistin is described and their role in the pathogenesis of stroke is examined.