Low Physical Activity Levels Are Linked to Early Hypertension Risk in College-Going Young Adults

The mediation role of physical fitness in association between muscle-strengthening physical activities and its component with blood pressure among young adults: considering gender and abnormal blood pressure as moderators, moderate-vigorous physical activity, sleep behavior, sedentary behavior, mental wellbeing and BMI as covariates

Background

Global burden of hypertension among young people continues to increase. There have been many studies examining the effect of aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity on blood pressure, many of them didn't consider interdependence between them. Conflicting results of health-related fitness, particularly handgrip strength, as intermediate outcomes of muscle-strengthening physical activity on blood pressure also emerged. This research will carry out a mediation-moderation analysis to find out the relationship between muscle strengthening physical activity and blood pressure among young adults by considering health-related fitness and 24-hour movement behavior.

Methods

A cross-sectional study among 221 Indonesian young adults attending a physical activity intervention collected participant's muscle-strengthening physical activity, and 24 h movement behavior, including aerobic physical activity, sedentary and sleep behavior, and mental well-being using validated questionnaires. Mediation and moderation analyses were conducted using Process Macro model 10 on SPSS 25 to investigate the association of muscle-strengthening physical activity on blood pressure, with gender and blood pressure as moderator, mediators consist of handgrip strength, muscle mass percentage and cardiorespiratory fitness. A subgroup analysis was conducted based on participant's cardiorespiratory fitness level.

Results

Volume of muscle-strengthening physical activities in a week have a direct association with systolic blood pressure among prehypertensive male with an effect of 0,00989359 (95% CI 0,0046488 to 0,00336478). Considering its volume as mediator, the frequency of muscle-strengthening physical activity contributed to a significant direct effect on diastolic blood pressure in both genders, but the duration of MSPA has a significant direct effect on systolic blood pressure in male subjects. There is no component of physical fitness that provides a significant mediating effect. After a subgroup analysis, the relationship between MSPA Volume and blood pressure is not significant for individuals with a high level of cardiorespiratory fitness.

Conclusions

This study shows that increased participation in muscle strengthening physical activity, especially in subject with low cardiorespiratory fitness, could increase blood pressure in prehypertensive young adult male population without mediation by physical fitness. Further research is needed to investigate other mechanisms that influence this relationship.

Association Between Big Five Personality Traits and Hypertension in Saudi Patients: A Case Control Study

BACKGROUND

The association between personality traits and hypertension is complex and has so far not been studied in depth.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aims to explore the connection between the Big Five personality traits and hypertension.

METHODS

This case control study includes 310 participants, and the relationship between personality traits and hypertension was investigated in normotensive and hypertensive patients by the Big Five Inventory-10. We examined the association of each of the Big Five personality traits in hypertensive patients and a control group using binary logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The findings of the study revealed that amongst the Big Five personality factors, low conscientiousness (OR: 1.09, 95% CI: 0.92-1.29, P<0.005) and high neuroticism (OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.45-0.66, P<0.001) were related with high risk of hypertension. Male, older people, and physically inactive individuals have been found to be at a higher risk of hypertension. No significant relationship was found between hypertension and marital status, education, or smoking habits.

CONCLUSION

These results suggested that a low score in conscientiousness trait and a high neuroticism score may be an additional risk factor of hypertension. Thus, it may be worthy to investigate further in order to identify patients at risk and develop a more individual treatment strategy. Cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmacological options can be used preemptively in high-risk patients.

Benefits of leisure-related physical activity and association between sedentary time and risk for hypertension and type 2 diabetes

Introduction

Lifestyle modifications can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hypertension. Our study investigated whether domain-specific physical activity (such as work, transport and leisure) and sedentary behaviour were associated with T2DM and hypertension, and whether these associations were moderated by sex and age.

Method

For this cross-sectional study, data were obtained from a population survey in Singapore (n=2,867) conducted from February 2019 to March 2020. T2DM and hypertension were self-reported. Global physical activity questionnaire was used to assess domain-specific physical activity (in metabolic equivalent of task [MET]-minutes) and sedentary time (in hours). Logistic regression models were generated to examine the abovementioned associations, and adjusted for age, sex, education, ethnicity, personal income, body mass index, diet and hypertension/diabetes. Interaction terms were included individually to investigate whether age and sex moderated the associations.

Results

Individuals with >826 MET-minutes of leisure-related physical activity per week had lower odds of having T2DM (odds ratio [OR] 0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.24-0.86) and hypertension (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.37-0.94) than those with no leisure-related physical activity. Individuals with >8 hours of sedentary time daily had higher odds of having hypertension (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.06-2.69) than those with 0-5 hours of sedentary time. Logistic regression models including interaction terms showed that the association between leisure-related physical activity and hypertension was significant for those aged 18-34 (OR 0.15, 95% CI 0.03-0.66) and 50-64 years (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.21-0.91). The association between sedentary time and hypertension was significant for those aged 18-34 years (OR 15.07, 95% CI 1.69-133.92).

Conclusion

Our results support the widespread promotion of an active lifestyle to lower the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in Singapore.

Hypertension Prevalence, Awareness, and Control Among Parents of School-Aged Children in the United Arab Emirates

BACKGROUND

Increased blood pressure (BP) is a major cardiovascular disease risk factor. The study aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of hypertension and its awareness and control among parents of school-aged children in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

METHODS

A total of 605 parents participated in this cross-sectional study. Information on socio-demographics, lifestyle factors, and history of chronic disease were collected through an adapted version of the World Health Organization STEPS questionnaire. Fasting blood glucose samples, BP measurements, body mass index (BMI), and waist and hip circumference were obtained using standard measurement protocols. Prevalence of hypertension was identified in the cohorts by defining hypertension using the 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines (BP≥130/80 mmHg) and the World Health Organization-International Society of Hypertension Guidelines Orchid (BP≥140/90 mmHg) in association with antihypertensive medication use.

RESULTS

The mean age of participants was 42.9±7.9 years. The prevalence of hypertension was 37.2% (95% CI: 33.5-41.2) and 18.0% (95% CI: 15.2-21.3), using the 2017 and the previous WHO definitions, respectively. Little over half of the sample (51.5%) who were aware of having hypertension reported using antihypertensive medications. Of those reporting the use of antihypertensive medications in the past two days, 13 of 33 patients (39.4%) had their hypertension under control (<140/90 mmHg). The independent correlates of hypertension included age [(adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.09 (1.05-1.13], male sex [AOR: 2.48 (1.41-4.34], college or higher education [AOR: 0.22 (0.09-0.56)], family history of hypertension [AOR: 2.03 (1.17-3.53)], obesity [AOR: 3.15 (1.24-7.12)], and moderate or vigorous physical activity [AOR: 0.50 (0.26-0.98)].

CONCLUSION

Hypertension is prevalent among parents of school-going children. Improving lifestyle, health literacy, and introducing innovative models to raise awareness and education about hypertension are essential to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment, and Control of Hypertension in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Evidence for the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is limited. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to summarize the existing knowledge regarding the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in the UAE.

METHODS

We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar using prespecified medical subject handling (MeSH) terms and text words to identify the relevant published articles from 1 January 1995 to 31 August 2021. Population-based prospective observational studies conducted among healthy adult subjects living in the UAE and that defined hypertension using the guidelines-recommended blood pressure (BP) cut-offs ≥ 130/80 mmHg or ≥ 140/90 mmHg were considered.

RESULTS

Of 1038 studies, fifteen cross-sectional studies were included for data extraction involving 139,907 adults with a sample size ranging from 74 to 50,138 and with cases defined as blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg. The pooled prevalence of hypertension was 31% (95% confidence interval (CI): 27-36), and a higher prevalence was observed in Dubai (37%, 95% CI: 28-45) than in the Abu Dhabi region (29%, 95% CI: 24-35) and in multicenter studies (24%, 95% CI: 14-33). The level of awareness was only 29% (95% CI: 17-42), 31% (95% CI: 18-44) for treatment, and 38% (95% CI: 19-57) had controlled BP (< 140/90 mmHg).

CONCLUSION

This study revealed a high prevalence of hypertension with low awareness and suboptimal control of hypertension. Multifaceted approaches that include the systematic measurement of BP, raising awareness, and improving hypertension diagnoses and treatments are needed.