Walking Reduces Hypertension Risk in Men |
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Moderate exercise, such as walking, is a recommended part of the
treatment
for hypertension, but does it reduce the
risk
for hypertension?
We know from previous Bandolier reports that walking, or
other moderate exercise, reduces the risk of heart disease and other causes
of death (Bandolier
50
and
68
). Can we add the prevention of hypertension as another reason to take just a
little exercise?
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Taking the results of 4,410 men over 10 years (with 375
cases of hypertension) it was calculated that for every 26 men who walk 20
minutes or more (compared with those walking 10 minutes or less), one case of
hypertension will be prevented. For men who walked 11-20 minutes the number
needed to walk increased to 111 (compared with men walking 10 minutes or
less).
Exercise Less than Once Weekly versus Once Weekly
Men who exercised at least once a week reduced their risk
by 30% compared with men who exercised less than once a week (relative risk
0.70, 95% confidence interval 0.59 to 0.84).
The comparison was also made after 4 years since the men's
leisure time exercise could change over the study (16 years). After 4 years
the men who exercised at least once a week reduced their risk by 39% compared
with those who exercised less than once a week (relative risk 0.61, 95%
confidence interval 0.47 to 0.80).
Exercise Less than Once Weekly, Once Weekly, Twice or More Weekly
In this case more is not necessarily better (Figure 2). Men
reduced their risk by 35% when they exercised once a week and by 28% when
they exercised at least twice a week, compared with men exercising less than
once a week (relative risk 0.65, 95% confidence interval 0.47 to 0.90 and
relative risk 0.72, 95% confidence interval 0.59 to 0.88, respectively).
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