The American Heart Association (AHA) has issued new recommendations encouraging doctors to advise healthy adults with slightly high blood pressure or cholesterol to move more and sit less. This is part of an effort to prevent heart disease and stroke by promoting lifestyle changes instead of medication for people at low risk.
Doctors are now being asked to provide exercise “prescriptions” for patients with mildly to moderately high blood pressure and cholesterol. These prescriptions would include specific suggestions for increasing daily physical activity and connecting patients to helpful resources like health coaches and community centers.
Currently, about 53 million adults in the U.S. have slightly high blood pressure, while 71 million have slightly elevated cholesterol.
For these individuals, lifestyle changes—such as exercising more, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a better diet, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol—can effectively lower their risk of heart disease and stroke without the need for medication.
The AHA’s new statement recommends that doctors ask about physical activity levels at every visit and provide guidance on how to increase movement. Even small changes, like taking the stairs more often or walking during breaks, can have meaningful health benefits.
Studies show that regular physical activity can lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 3-4 mmHg and reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol by 3-6 mg/dL.
The federal physical activity guidelines suggest that adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week, along with strength training twice a week. The AHA emphasizes that even minor increases in physical activity can have a significant impact on heart health.
Research shows that physically active individuals have a 21% lower risk of heart disease and a 36% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to those who are inactive.
How to Prevent High Blood Pressure
There are several simple lifestyle changes that can help prevent or manage high blood pressure:
- Maintain a Healthy Weight: Excess weight increases the risk of high blood pressure. Losing even a small amount of weight can help manage it.
- Exercise Regularly: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise (like brisk walking) or 75 minutes of intense exercise (like running) per week.
- Follow a Healthy Diet: Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Reduce salt, unhealthy fats, and added sugars.
- Limit Alcohol and Quit Smoking: Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure, and smoking damages blood vessels. Cutting back on both can improve heart health.
- Manage Stress: Chronic stress can contribute to high blood pressure. Techniques like meditation, yoga, and deep breathing can help.
- Get Enough Sleep: Poor sleep can increase blood pressure. Aim for at least seven hours of quality sleep each night.
- Monitor Blood Pressure Regularly: Keeping track of blood pressure levels can help detect issues early and allow for timely intervention.
If you’re interested in learning more about high blood pressure, recent studies have explored how eye health may be linked to blood pressure and how marijuana use could increase the risk of death for those with hypertension. Other research suggests that early time-restricted eating and plant-based diets may help improve blood pressure.
The study, led by Bethany Barone Gibbs, was published in Hypertension. The new recommendations highlight the importance of movement as a key part of maintaining heart health and preventing disease.
If you care about health, please read studies about the benefits of low-dose lithium supplements, and what we know about egg intake and heart disease.
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