Diet and Lifestyle Changes can Tame Uncontrolled High Blood Pressure

A new study confirms long-standing evidence that dietary and other lifestyle changes are a key solution to high blood pressure—even resistant hypertension (high blood pressure difficult to control with medication).

This randomized clinical trial enrolled 140 adults, average age 63 years, with resistant hypertension for a four-month study. One group received supervised lifestyle intervention, including weekly counseling from a nutritionist on how to follow the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, which focuses on healthy whole foods, along with calorie goals and a sodium target of 2,300 milligrams per day or less. This group also received weekly group counseling sessions with a clinical psychologist addressing eating behaviors and behavior change strategies and engaged in physical activity three days a week for 30 to 45 minutes under supervision at a cardiac rehabilitation center. The control group received a one-hour session with a health educator along with a personalized workbook containing guidelines on physical activity, weight loss, and nutrition goals.

The control group had a mean reduction in their systolic blood pressure of seven points (mmHg) over the four-month study period and the intervention group had a mean reduction of 12 points. Fifty-nine percent of these participants achieved their blood pressure goal by the end of the study.

This study demonstrates that, even in people with resistant hypertension, adopting a healthy diet and other lifestyle changes (in addition to medication as prescribed) can lower blood pressure by a meaningful amount. The researchers concluded that a structured program including a low-sodium DASH diet, regular physical activity, and counseling support is a highly effective approach.