Globally, high blood pressure (hypertension) is the leading risk factor for death associated with cardiovascular disease. Previous 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 – all factors that may cause high blood pressure. Tazeen Jafar, from Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School (Singapore), and colleagues surveyed 501 university-going young adults, ages 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. Their association with hypertension was then determined. Using statistical analysis, the team found that pre-hypertension was found in 27.4% of the total population, and 38% ate more than 12 meals away from home per week; while the gender breakdown showed that pre-hypertension was more prevalent in men (49%) than in women (9%). 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. Interestingly, the team also found that eating just one extra meal out could raise the odds of prehypertension by 6%. Writing that: “Prehypertension may be common among university-going young adults in Singapore and is associated with potentially preventable lifestyle factors,” the study authors urge that: “Our findings call for large-scale population-based studies, including lifestyle modification trials for prevention of hypertension.”
