Nutrition and Hypertension in Men
Interestingly, alcohol intake and obesity are not the only ones responsible for the development of hypertension. Diet too plays an important role in raising blood pressure in men. The DASH diet is specifically made for people with hypertension. The DASH eating plan emphasizes fruits and vegetables, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, whole grain products, fish, poultry, and nuts. The diet is also rich in fiber, potassium, magnesium and calcium, and restricts sodium intake to 1500mg to 2300mg per day.
A Harvard study on nutritional factors and hypertension among US men revealed that dietary fiber, potassium, and magnesium were each significantly associated with lower risk of hypertension when considered individually and after adjustment for age, relative weight, alcohol consumption, and energy intake. The researchers found that men who consumed less than 12g of dietary fiber per day had one and half times more the risk of hypertension compared with those who consumed 24g of fiber per day. But, they noted that this applies only to fiber that comes from fruits and not from vegetables or cereals. Calcium also lowers risk of hypertension but only in lean men.
However, the researchers did not find any significant associations of hypertension with sodium, total fat, or saturated, trans-unsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. They concluded that ‘increased intake of fiber and magnesium may contribute to the prevention of hypertension’.
