High BMI, Poor Aerobic Fitness Increases Risk of Hypertension

A high body mass index (BMI) and poor aerobic fitness in adolescence are associated with increased risk of hypertension in middle age, according to new research.

While previous research has shown that both of these modifiable risk factors increase the risk of hypertension, little is known about how the 2 factors interact.
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To further examine this relationship, researchers conducted a study of 1,547,189 military conscripts in Sweden from 1969 to 1997, following participants until 2012. Participants’ aerobic capacity, muscular strength, and BMI were all recorded.

Overall, 93,035 men were diagnosed with hypertension, and high BMI and low aerobic capacity were both associated with increased risk of hypertension. A combination of the 2 factors was associated with the most significant risk of hypertension. The negative effects of low aerobic capacity were maintained even among those with normal BMI.

“In this large national cohort study, high BMI and low aerobic capacity in late adolescence were associated with higher risk of hypertension in adulthood. If confirmed, our findings suggest that interventions to prevent hypertension should begin early in life and include not only weight control but aerobic fitness, even among persons with normal BMI,” they concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Crump C, Sundquist J, Winkleby MA, Sundquist K. Interactive effects of physical fitness and body mass index on the risk of hypertension. Jama Intern Med. January 19, 2016 [epub ahead of print]. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.7444.