The Link Between Eating Out And High Blood Pressure

Eating even one meal out can raise the odds of pre-hypertension in young adults by six percent, study says.

AsianScientist (Apr. 17, 2015) – A study published in the American Journal of Hypertension suggests that eating out regularly is linked to high blood pressure. These findings highlight lifestyle factors that can affect hypertension and emphasize the importance of being aware of the salt and calorie content in food.

Globally, high blood pressure, or hypertension, is the leading risk factor for death associated with cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that young adults with pre-hypertension, or slightly elevated blood pressure, are at very high risk of hypertension. Eating meals away from home have been shown to be associated with higher caloric intake, higher saturated fat intake and higher salt intake. These eating patterns are thought to cause high blood pressure.

Duke-NUS Professor Tazeen Jafar designed and supervised a study to find behaviors associated with hypertension in a young adult population in Southeast Asia. Her team, including Duke-NUS medical student Dominique Seow, surveyed 501 university-going young adults aged 18 to 40 years in Singapore. Data on blood pressure, body mass index and lifestyle, including meals eaten away from home and physical activity levels, were collected.

Using statistical analysis, the team found that pre-hypertension was found in 27.4 percent of the total population, and 38 percent ate more than 12 meals away from home per week; while the gender breakdown showed that pre-hypertension was more prevalent in men (49 percent) than in women (nine percent). Those who had pre-hypertension or hypertension were more likely to eat more meals away from home per week, have a higher mean body mass index, have lower mean physical activity levels and be current smokers.

The results showed the link between pre-hypertension and hypertension with meals eaten away from home. What is also significant is that eating even one extra meal out raised the odds of pre-hypertension by six percent.

“While there have been studies conducted in the United States and Japan to find behaviors associated with hypertension, very few have surveyed a Southeast Asian population,” said Jafar. “Our research plugs that gap and highlights lifestyle factors associated with pre-hypertension and hypertension that are potentially modifiable, and would be applicable to young adults globally, especially those of Asian descent.”

Future studies should examine the effect of lifestyle modification programs on blood pressure levels on the at-risk population found in this study. Jafar’s team plans to lead a related intervention study on prevention of hypertension among young adults in Singapore.

The article can be found at: Seow et al. (2015) The Association Of Prehypertension With Meals Eaten Away From Home In Young Adults In Singapore.

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Source: Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore; Photo: Aaron Lai/Flickr/CC.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.

Asian Scientist Magazine is an award-winning science and technology magazine that highlights R&D news stories from Asia to a global audience. The magazine is published by Singapore-headquartered Wildtype Media Group.

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