HTN and Lifestyle

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HYPERTENSION, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE - Diet, Physical Inactivity, Sodium,

Salt, Potassium, Magnesium, Overweight, Lifestyle

Diet and Lifestyle have a Major Impact on Hypertension in Western

Societies

" Impact of dietary and lifestyle factors on the prevalence of

hypertension in Western populations, " Geleijnse JM, Grobbee DE, Kok FJ,

J Hum Hypertens., 2005; 19 Suppl 3: S1-4. (Address: Division of Human

Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands).

Summary: In a study quantifying the contributions of body

weight, physical inactivity and dietary factors to the prevalence of

hypertension in Finland, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, and

USA, diet and lifestyle were found to have a substantial impact on

hypertension. Data on the distributions of blood pressure (BP) and risk

factors were obtained from nationwide surveys in the five countries, and

the effects of risk factors on BP were assessed by meta-regression

analysis of randomized trials, published between 1966 and March 2001.

Population attributable risk percentages (PAR%) for hypertension were

computed for all risk factors. Being overweight made a major

contribution to hypertension (PAR% between 11% [italy] and 25% [uSA]),

along with excessive sodium intake (9-17%), low potassium intake

(4-17%), physical inactivity (5-13%), and low intake of fish oil

(3-16%). The PAR% values were smaller for low calcium intake (PAR%

2-8%), low magnesium intake (4-8%), excessive coffee intake (1-9%), and

excessive alcohol intake (2-3%). While the impact of alcohol was small

in all populations, the PAR% varied among populations for inadequate

intake of calcium, magnesium, coffee, and fish fatty acids. Thus, this

study suggests that diet and lifestyle have a major impact on

hypertension in Western societies, with being overweight, physical

inactivity, high sodium intake and low potassium intake being the major

contributors. In developing preventative strategies, it is important to

note the variations in the relative significance of different risk

factors among different populations