About 65 million American adults - nearly 1 in 3 - have high blood pressure. Many people get high blood pressure as they get older. In fact, over half of all Americans age 60 and older have high blood pressure. However, getting high blood pressure is not a normal part of aging! There are things you can do to help keep your blood pressure normal, such as eating a healthy diet and getting more exercise.

Risk Factors

Anyone can develop high blood pressure. But your chances of getting high blood pressure are higher if you

• are overweight or obese
• are a man over the age of 45 or a woman over the age of 55
• have a family history of high blood pressure
• have pre-hypertension, a reading of 120-139/80-89 mmHg.

Other things that increase your chances of developing high blood pressure are

• eating too much salt
• drinking too much alcohol
• being physically inactive
• taking certain medicines
• having long-lasting stress.

In the U.S., high blood pressure occurs more often in African Americans. Compared to other groups, blacks

• tend to get high blood pressure earlier in life
• usually have more severe high blood pressure
• have a higher death rate from stroke, heart disease, and kidney failure.

Quiz

1. Anyone can develop high blood pressure, but your chances of getting it are greater if you

A. are overweight or obese
B. are underweight
C. are under the age of 45.

A is the correct answer. Anyone can develop high blood pressure. But your chances of getting high blood pressure are higher if you are overweight or obese.

2. Many people get high blood pressure

A. from others who have it.
B. as they age.
C. when they lose weight.

B is the correct answer. About 65 million American adults - nearly 1 in 3 - have high blood pressure. Many people get high blood pressure as they get older. In fact, over half of all Americans age 60 and older have high blood pressure.

3. In the U.S., high blood pressure occurs more often in

A. people under 30 years of age.
B. athletes.
C. African Americans.

C is the correct answer. In the U.S., high blood pressure occurs more often in African Americans. Compared to other groups, blacks tend to get high blood pressure earlier in life and usually have more severe high blood pressure. They also have a higher death rate from stroke, heart disease, and kidney failure.

Prevention

You can take steps to prevent high blood pressure by adopting a healthy lifestyle. These steps include

• losing weight, if necessary, and maintaining a healthy weight
• being physically active
• following a healthy eating plan like DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products and choosing and preparing foods with less salt and sodium
• if you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.

More than 2 out of 3 Americans ages 20-74 are either overweight or obese. Overweight and obesity increase your chances of developing high blood pressure and diabetes, which, in turn, increase your chances of developing heart disease. Blood pressure rises as body weight increases. Losing even 10 pounds can lower blood pressure - and it has the greatest effect for those who are overweight and already have hypertension. If you are overweight, work with your health care provider to develop a plan to help you reduce your weight.

How do I know if I'm overweight? Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat, based on your height and weight. It applies to both men and women, but it does have some limits: It may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular build. It may underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle mass.

As your BMI goes up, so do your chances of getting high blood pressure, heart disease, and other diseases. Overweight is defined as a BMI of 25 to 29.9; obesity is defined as a BMI greater than or equal to 30.

To return to this page after reading the chart, click on the "X" in the upper right hand corner of the chart page.

Following an eating plan that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, and is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and total fat is even more effective when you also reduce your salt and sodium intake.

One such eating plan is called DASH. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. This was the name of a study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health that showed that this kind of eating plan can help you prevent and control high blood pressure. The study also showed that combining this kind of eating plan with cutting back on salt in your diet is even more effective at lowering your blood pressure.

In general, the lower your salt intake, the lower your blood pressure. The key to reducing the amount of salt we eat is making wise food choices. Only a small amount of the salt that we eat comes from the salt shaker, and only small amounts occur naturally in food. Most of the salt that we eat comes from processed foods - for example, canned or processed meat, baked goods, certain cereals, soy sauce, seasoned salts, monosodium glutamate (MSG), baking soda, and some antacids.

So be sure to read food labels to choose products lower in salt. Look for the sodium content in milligrams and the Percent Daily Value. Aim for foods that are less than 5 percent of the Daily Value of sodium. Foods with 20 percent or more Daily Value of sodium are considered high.

Being physically active is one of the most important steps you can take to prevent or control high blood pressure. It also helps reduce your risk of heart disease. Thirty minutes of moderate exercise on most, and preferably all, days of the week can help improve your cardiovascular health.

If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation. Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. Men should limit their intake to 2 drinks per day, and women should limit their intake to one drink per day.

Smoking injures blood vessel walls and speeds up the process of hardening of the arteries. It increases your chances of stroke, heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, and several forms of cancer. If you smoke, quit. If you don't smoke, don't start. Once you quit, your risk of having a heart attack is reduced after the first year. So you have a lot to gain by quitting.

If you have high blood pressure and diabetes, you have an increased risk of heart and kidney problems and stroke. Controlling your blood glucose - and your blood pressure and cholesterol - will help lower your chances of having a heart attack, a stroke, or other diabetes problems.

Quiz

1. Being physically active can help you prevent and control high blood pressure.

TRUE is the correct answer. Being physically active is one of the most important steps you can take to prevent or control high blood pressure. It also helps reduce your chances of developing heart disease. Thirty minutes of moderate physical activity on most, and preferably all, days of the week can help improve your cardiovascular health.

2. Overweight and obesity increase your chances of developing high blood pressure and diabetes.

TRUE is the correct answer. Blood pressure rises as body weight increases. Losing even 10 pounds can lower your blood pressure - and it has the greatest effect for people who are overweight and already have hypertension. If you are overweight, work with your health care provider to develop a plan to help you reduce your weight.

3. Eating more salt and sodium can help prevent and control high blood pressure.

FALSE is the correct answer. Including less salt and sodium in your diet can help lower your blood pressure. Foods high in sodium include baked goods, certain cereals, soy sauce, seasoned salts, monosodium glutamate (MSG), baking soda, and some antacids. Read food labels to find products that are lower in sodium.

4. High blood pressure is a normal part of aging.

FALSE is the correct answer. High blood pressure is not a normal part of aging. There are things you can do to prevent high blood pressure, such as eating a healthy diet and getting more exercise.

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Tags: Hypertension

About the Author

NIA, one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of NIH, leads a broad scientific effort to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life. In 1974, Congress granted authority to form NIA to provide leadership in aging research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs relevant to aging and older people.