Age, weight increase U.S. blood pressure
BY JAMIE STENGLE
ASSOCIATED PRESS

August 24, 2004

DALLAS -- As Americans get older and heavier, the number of adults with
high blood pressure has climbed to almost one in three over the past
decade, putting more people at risk of a stroke, heart attack or kidney
failure, government researchers said Monday.

A little more than a decade ago, the number was closer to one in four. And
two decades ago, it was falling. But then came the obesity surge in the
late 1980s.

"It's not surprising because we've seen that Americans are getting fatter,
and we know that blood pressure goes up when people gain weight," said Dr.
David Goff, an epidemiology expert at Wake Forest University School of
Medicine in North Carolina.

About 65 million American adults now have high blood pressure -- 30 percent
more than the 50 million who did in the previous decade, according to the
report in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association.

The report did not specifically examine reasons for the rise, but experts
said the aging U.S. population and the growing proportion of overweight and
obese Americans are probably major contributors.

The risk of hypertension, or high blood pressure, is increased by old age,
excess weight and lack of physical activity. High blood pressure is defined
as 140 over 90 or higher. Blood pressure less than 120 over 80 is generally
considered ideal.

High blood pressure can be treated with medicine and lifestyle changes,
including eating less fat and more fruits and vegetables, becoming more
physically active and limiting salt intake.

The new figures are from census data and a 1999-2000 National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey, which included 4,531 adults. It estimates
that 31.3 percent of Americans have high blood pressure, up from 28.9
percent in the previous national health report from 1988-94.