Hypertension: what about combining exercise with diet

Overweight and obesity are associated with many cardiovascular risks, including hypertension. Exercise has become a staple in weight management and weight loss programs, but is mostly effective when implemented concurrently with diet modifications. Specific dietary guidelines that have been shown to lower hypertension are explained in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which recommends a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy foods, as well as restrictions in alcohol and sodium intake (Bacon et al. 2004). A recent review of lifestyle interventions found that combining these recommendations with the intake of fish oil supplements resulted in significant reductions in BP (Dickinson et al. 2006). Although other studies have suggested that potassium, magnesium and calcium supplementation also play a role in BP reduction, the Dickinson review failed to find strong clinical support for these claims.

Controversy remains over whether combining exercise with weight reduction has an “additive” effect. Both have been shown to help reduce BP independently, yet a comprehensive review by Hagberg and colleagues (2000) concluded that exercise training and dietary weight loss are independent, and that exercise can be effective in lowering BP without dietary changes. Other reviews maintain this idea but also recommend combining diet and exercise to facilitate weight loss (Bacon et al. 2004).

For more information about the DASH diet visit: http://dashdiet.org/

To be continued



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