Why Keeping Healthy Weight Is Important For Hypertension Prevention?

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a risk factor for a number of chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease. So if one can keep his or her blood pressure in check, the risk of getting these diseases can be minimized.

At the AHA (American Heart Association) meeting on September 14, 2017, a new research paper was presented indicating that healthy weight (measured as a body mass index less than 25 kg/m2) maintained throughout life  is important to help keep blood pressure in check, and it is more so than 4 other health behaviors studied! The other 4 behaviors are: never smoking; up to 7 alcoholic drinks weekly for women and up to 14 for men; 150 minutes or more moderate to vigorous physical activity per week and eating a healthy diet, based on adhering to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan.

4,630 participants of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study were assessed for the study. They were 18 to 30 years old in 1985 and 1986 at the onset of the study. During the 25-year follow-up, researchers measured blood pressure and health behaviors 8 times, until participants were in middle age. They found participants who maintained a healthy body weight were more likely to have normal blood pressure as they grew older. They were 41 percent less likely to have an increasing blood pressure as they aged.

Maintaining physical activity or eating a healthy diet were not associated with changes in blood pressure during the 25-year period. Never smoking and maintaining no or moderate alcohol consumption were associated with less of an increase in blood pressure by middle age. However, people in the study who maintained at least 4 health behaviors were 27 percent more likely to have a normal blood pressure from early adulthood through middle age. But the researchers said that a larger study is required to confirm these because they may have been a chance finding.

Weight may contribute to high blood pressure in a number of ways, according to health experts. When one gains weight, the heart has to work harder because the weight has a compressive effect on the blood pressure. As one ages, the blood vessels stiffens and this may produce cardiac problems. For people who do not gain weight, the stiffening will be less, and keeps blood pressure lower. This may prevent more serious outcomes.

Undoubtedly, the findings provide evidence that having a normal body weight is very important in maintaining a normal blood pressure from early and into middle adulthood. While the other 4 behaviors were not as closely related to changes in blood pressure over time, they may still play an paramount role since they can help in weight management.