Lifestyle and hypertension--an overview.

Dietary and other lifestyle factors play a major role in the prevalence of hypertension. Many of the behaviours likely to reduce blood pressure also have independent beneficial effects on other cardiovascular risk factors to general health and survival. This is particularly the case with weight control, exercise, dietary patterns characterised by a low intake of saturated fat and a high intake of fruit, vegetables and fish and moderation of heavy alcohol consumption. High salt intakes remain a major contributor to hypertension, especially when potassium intake is low. Smoking has a dominant effect in increasing cardiovascular risk in hypertensives. Clustering of risk factors is often associated with clustering of unhealthy lifestyle characteristics and both are most prominent in lower socio-economic groups and in Developing Countries adopting a more sedentary lifestyle and Western diet patterns. Recent trials suggest substantial cardiovascular benefits by a combination of weight control and sodium moderation in the elderly, by non-vegetarian diets rich in fruit and vegetables and low in saturated fat, and by incorporation of regular fish meals into weight control diets.