Adopting the Mediterranean Diet Reduces High Blood Preasure

Adopting the Mediterranean diet reduces high blood pressure in all people but has a more pronounced effect in obese people according to the National Hellenic Study on Nutrition and Health (HNNHS).

Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), remaining frequently asymptomatic. Recent data have shown trends in lowering systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure globally, especially in middle- and high-income countries. However, these trends appear to vary significantly between regions and countries, depending on genetic and epigenetic predisposition, socio-economic status, access to health services, and multiple highly modifiable anthropometric and lifestyle factors (e.g. , body weight, smoking, dietary patterns and level of physical activity). As such,

Elevated blood pressure (BP) was estimated at 9.4 million deaths globally in 2010, this negative impact increasing by 2.1 million compared to 1990. Notably, over 40% of deaths caused by major chronic noncommunicable diseases worldwide were attributed to high blood pressure, over 63% of them due to the combined effect of high blood pressure, high body mass index (BMI) and high glucose and plasma cholesterol. The Global Burden of Disease study estimated that 22.4% and 20.7% of all deaths in men and women, respectively, were attributed to poor eating habits. In addition, an extensive intervention study that used two Mediterranean dietary models, supplemented with either extra virgin olive oils or nuts, a pattern that characterizes the eating habits of Greeks in the past , found that these diets decrease SBP.

In Greece, in the last 20 years, studies have reported prevalence rates of hypertension between 13% and 27%. The results of observational studies have shown that BP increases progressively with age, adding to the long-term burden of the population. of hypertension and underlying the need to detect hypertension early in life. It is well documented that overweight is associated with high blood pressure, with HNNHS results showing that the probability of high blood pressure is almost twice as high in overweight and four times higher in obese people, regardless of gender. This is also highlighted by a recent meta-analysis which reports that a 5 kg weight reduction was associated with a 4.4 and 3.6 mmHg decrease in SBP and DBP, respectively.Adherence to the Mediterranean diet decreased the likelihood of hypertensionaccording to other research findings and found to change the association between obesity and hypertension. Obese participants who reported higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet, although still at higher risk, were twice as likely to be hypertensive compared to obese participants with very low adherence. The Mediterranean diet has been shown to reduce CVD events and improve CVD surrogates, such as inflammatory markers, which may partially explain the moderating effect shown in this study. Moreover, a recent summary of a prospective cohort study that specifically focused on the Mediterranean diet and chronic diseases reported that adherence to the Mediterranean diet mitigated the harmful effects of overweight and obesity on the risk of CVD. It was also demonstrated by a randomized controlled study that overweight or obese participants with untreated hypertension who were enrolled in an intervention group for the Mediterranean diet had a significant reduction in mean change from baseline in SBP and DBP, compared with controls at 4 months. These findings help explain the moderating effect of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on weight gain presented in this study and highlight the need to assess lifestyle risk factors and establish more personalized medical nutritional therapies. A randomized controlled study showed that overweight or obese participants with untreated hypertension who were enrolled in an intervention group for the Mediterranean diet had a significant reduction in mean change from baseline in SBP and DBP compared to controls at 4 months. These findings help explain the moderating effect of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on weight in this study and highlight the need to assess lifestyle risk factors and establish more personalized medical nutritional therapies. A randomized controlled study showed that overweight or obese participants with untreated hypertension who were enrolled in an intervention group for the Mediterranean diet had a significant reduction in mean change from baseline in SBP and DBP compared to controls at 4 months. These findings help explain the moderating effect of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on weight gain presented in this study and highlight the need to assess lifestyle risk factors and establish more personalized medical nutritional therapies.

Other well-accepted risk factors, including smoking, sodium intake, and physical activity, were not significantly associated with hypertension in the study population. Due to the latest Automass Multipass method used for 24-hour recalls, sodium was calculated. of all foods (including beverages) consumed and a limit of 1500 mg / day was set for further analysis of the likelihood of hypertension. This has been done because the Mediterranean diet is naturally low in sodium due to its low degree of processing, as opposed to processed foods (a term that covers all foods that have undergone manufacturing methods, including convenient foods and products such as bread). , cheese and meat products). In general, only 10-12% of sodium occurs naturally in food and 75-80% of salt in the US and many European countries (such as the UK and Finland) comes from processed foods, not from salt added during preparation or before consumption. (table salt) and given that the current average dietary salt intake is estimated at 9 to 12 g per day in Western countries and 7 to 13 g per day among adults in most European countries, the 1500 mg limit is 75 % of the WHO daily sodium target of 2000 mg or 65% of the ESC target of 2300 mg (percentages in the range of nutrition guidelines based on previous reports). In addition to the need to evaluate sodium in food, a recent study by Hasenegger et al.,mainly cereals and cereal products, meat and meat products and dairy products.

With the Dahna mobile application you have a real help in the fight against obesity and hypertension. Created by Romanian cardiologists, using your metabolic plan, the application becomes your daily assistant, you choose your favorite menu from the Mediterranean diet and you have an instant shopping list.

Re-learn to eat, reduce your risk of obesity, high blood pressure and enjoy a healthy lifestyle!

Source here.