Differences in healthy lifestyle characteristics between adults with prehypertension and normal blood pressure.
BACKGROUND
Identifying differences in modifiable lifestyle factors between persons with prehypertension and normal blood pressure (BP) can help improve prevention efforts.


METHODS
Data from the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed (in 2008) for persons aged at least 20 years (n = 11 194). Differences in five healthy lifestyle characteristics were examined by BP status (normal, prehypertension, and hypertension). Additionally, differences in lifestyle characteristics by sex, race/ethnicity, and education among those with prehypertension were analyzed.


RESULTS
Overall, 32.8% of adults had a normal BMI, 75.3% did not smoke, 31.3% were regularly physically active, 57.7% were moderate drinkers or nondrinkers, and 28.1% had a low sodium intake; only 2% had all five characteristics. Almost 40% had a normal BP and 30.3% were prehypertensive. Those with prehypertension were less likely to have a normal BMI than normotensive individuals [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.56-0.70], to be regularly active (adjusted OR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.74-0.98), and to moderately/not drink (adjusted OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.80-0.97). Those with prehypertension or hypertension were less likely to have at least three or four healthy lifestyle characteristics compared with those with normal BP. Among 3168 persons with prehypertension, some sex, race/ethnic, and education level differences in the prevalence of healthy lifestyles were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Differences in healthy lifestyle factors were observed by BP status, but the prevalence of healthy lifestyle factors is suboptimal among the population as a whole.
Greenlund
Kurt J
KJ
Division of Adult and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA. keg9@cdc.gov
Daviglus
Martha L
ML
Croft
Janet B
JB
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017677:Age Distribution; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data