High Blood Pressure and Obesity
High blood pressure is a serious condition affecting our nation today.
According to the American Heart Association, nearly one in three American adults have high blood pressure, and as we age, that number increases. Roughly two-thirds of people over the age of 65 have high blood pressure.
Simply put, blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of the arteries in our body. Over the course of a day, it is normal for blood pressure levels to rise and fall. However, if blood pressure levels stay elevated over time, the medical condition is called hypertension, more commonly known as high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is dangerous because it puts additional strain on our hearts, making the heart work harder than normal. It also contributes to the development of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). People with high blood pressure have an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, which are leading causes of death in Americans. Other conditions – such as congestive heart failure, kidney disease and blindness – can result from high blood pressure.
In the overwhelming majority of cases, the cause of high blood pressure is unknown. However, a wide range of factors are likely to contribute to high blood pressure — including some we can control and some we cannot. For instance, heredity, race, gender and age are all factors contributing to the development of high blood pressure. Unfortunately, these are things we cannot change.
Other factors – such as our weight – can be controlled. Obesity is a major factor in the development of high blood pressure. As body weight increases, blood pressure rises. In fact, studies show that losing just 10 pounds can lower blood pressure.
Simple lifestyle changes can help combat obesity and help us prevent high blood pressure. Increasing our physical activity and eating better (with a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in salt) are extremely important in lowering blood pressure. Reducing our intake of alcohol and quitting smoking can also help control blood pressure. A number of resources are available on the web today that can help you find ways to change your lifestyle in order to prevent high blood pressure.
Given the growing problem of high blood pressure among Americans today, we should all help each other keep our blood pressure in check by encouraging healthier lifestyle choices. Making changes today may be difficult, but they will pay off in the end, lowering our risk of heart attack and stroke and giving us all a much brighter future.