Protecting yourself from high blood pressure requires consistent exercise at any age. Unfortunately, a recent study by American researchers revealed that as people age, they tend to “fall off the track”: the older they get, the more likely they are to reduce their physical activity or even stop exercising altogether.
A team of scientists from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), involved 5,100 adult Americans from four different cities in their extensive study. The researchers focused on physical exercises that could help participants combat high blood pressure at various stages of life.
As noted by the study’s author, epidemiologist Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, teenagers and those in their twenties are typically very physically active. However, as they age, that activity often dwindles to nothing.
What the Researchers Discovered
Over three decades, researchers tracked the health of participants through clinical measurements and surveys about healthy habits, including exercise. The team was also interested in whether participants smoked or consumed alcohol, and how frequently they did so.
For each clinical assessment, researchers measured participants’ blood pressure three times in a row with a minute’s interval. The scientists found that physical activity levels decreased between the ages of 18 and 40 among all volunteers. Meanwhile, the likelihood of developing hypertension increased in the following decades.
This indicates that young adulthood is a crucial period for taking steps to prevent future hypertension. It’s during these formative years that individuals should cultivate the habit of strengthening their health through exercise, as reported by Science Alert.
Moreover, physical activities in young years should be more challenging and vigorous. However, participants exhibited what the lead author of the study, Jason Nagata, an expert in young adult medicine (ages 20-40), described as “suboptimal levels of physical activity.”
When researchers observed volunteers who engaged in moderate physical exercise for five hours a week during early adulthood, they found that this level of activity significantly reduced the risk of developing hypertension.
Researchers noted that some young people struggled to maintain their exercise routines due to increasing pressures and responsibilities. For instance, after graduating from high school, opportunities for physical activity diminished. Young individuals transitioned into new roles: attending college, starting careers, and becoming parents. Often, they could no longer manage their free time as they once did, the team pointed out.
Despite these challenges, it’s essential to change the situation for the sake of one’s health. To protect yourself from hypertension in later years, regular exercise is crucial. After all, if you want to avoid becoming a victim of this deadly disease, staying active is key.
Hypertension – A Ticking Time Bomb
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects one in five women and one in four men worldwide. This condition impacts over 63 percent of people over the age of 60. Alarmingly, most individuals with hypertension are unaware that they have it. It’s no wonder that high blood pressure is often referred to as a “silent killer.”
Hypertension can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Additionally, high blood pressure is one of the key factors contributing to dementia.
The findings of the study were published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.