Leisure-time physical activity favourably affects health of hypertensive patients

Patients with hypertension appear to have lower overall perceived health compared with normotensive individuals, but those who engage in high levels of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) are more likely to rate their health status as ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’, as reported in a study.

The analysis used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015–2018 data and included 8,504 participants (mean age 48.2 years, 51.4 percent female). LTPA levels were categorized as none (0 min/week), some (>0 but <150 min/week), and high (≥150 min/week). Hypertension was defined as the systolic/diastolic blood pressure of ≥130/80 mm Hg or taking BP-lowering drugs, while general health status was dichotomized as whether participants reported ‘very good to excellent’ health status or not.

Of the participants, 47.9 percent had hypertension, 41.4 percent had ‘very good to excellent’ health, and 39.5 percent had high LTPA. The presence of hypertension was associated with lower odds of having ‘very good to excellent’ health (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.7, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.6–0.8; p<0.001).

Among hypertensive participants, about one-third reported ‘very good to excellent’ health (33.1 percent) and high LTPA levels (32.0 percent). Compared with participants with no LTPA, those with some (AOR, 1.5, 95 percent CI, 1.0–2.0; p<0.05) and high (AOR, 2.3, 95 percent CI, 1.7–3.0; p<0.001) LTPA were more likely to have ‘very good to excellent’ health.

There were positive relationships observed between LTPA and ‘very good to excellent’ health among participants with hypertension.

The findings suggest that improving general health could be an added advantage of LTPA for patients with hypertension.