The Relationship Between Hypertension and Socioeconomic Status and Food Intake

Background: High blood pressure is known as a major risk factor for myocardial infarction and renal impairment. Various factors, including the pattern of food intake and physical activity, are effective in the incidence of hypertension. Objectives: This study aimed at evaluating the relationship between dietary factors and hypertension in Hormozgan Province, South of Iran. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on 5075 adults aged more than 18 years from Hormozgan in 2016. Samples were selected through cluster sampling and randomly. The subjects’ information, including demographic information, dietary intake, anthropometric status, and blood pressure, were collected. Results: The high blood pressure in men was higher than in women. There was a significant relationship between systolic and diastolic blood pressure and age, body mass index, wrist and waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio. There was a statistically significant reverse relationship between hypertension and fruits intake, dairy products, fish, and decrease meat and nonalcoholic drink consumption. Conclusions: Regarding the high prevalence of hypertension among people and its strong association with food intake, improving dietary patterns should be considered as an essential preventive action.