High Blood Pressure: risk factors
The risk factors for high blood pressure are (Maryon-Davis and Press, 2005):
Unmodifiable:
- Age and gender (older age and being male increases the risk)
- Ethnicity (being of Afro-Caribbean ethnic origin increases the risk)
- Family history of high blood pressure
Modifiable:
- Excess dietary salt
- Low dietary potassium
- Overweight and obesity
- Physical inactivity
- Excess alcohol
- Smoking
- Cold homes
- Socioeconomic status (deprivation may increase the risk)
- Psychosocial stressors
- Diabetes
- Low birthweight
- Being formula-fed as a baby