Scientists from Peking University and collaborating institutions have found that a heart-healthy Chinese diet may significantly reduce high blood pressure.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, increases the risk of heart disease and stroke—two leading causes of death worldwide.
The condition is highly prevalent, affecting tens of millions of adults in the United States alone, many of whom do not have it under control.
Hypertension can damage arteries by reducing their elasticity, which limits blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart. Over time, this can lead to heart disease and symptoms such as chest pain (angina).
Blood pressure is measured using two numbers:
- Systolic pressure: The pressure in arteries when the heart beats
- Diastolic pressure: The pressure when the heart rests between beats
A diagnosis of high blood pressure is typically made when readings are consistently 130/80 mm Hg or higher.
More than one-fifth of the global population regularly consumes Chinese cuisine. However, few evidence-based heart-healthy dietary patterns have been tailored specifically to Chinese food traditions.
To address this gap, researchers designed a study to evaluate whether traditional Chinese cuisines could be adapted into a diet that effectively lowers blood pressure while remaining culturally acceptable.
The trial included 265 adults with baseline systolic blood pressure between 130 and 159 mm Hg.
Participants were assigned to either:
- A control diet, or
- A Chinese heart-healthy diet based on four major regional cuisines: Shandong, Huaiyang, Cantonese, and Szechuan
The intervention lasted 28 days.
By the end of the study, the control group showed modest reductions in blood pressure:
- Systolic blood pressure decreased by 5.0 mm Hg
- Diastolic blood pressure decreased by 2.8 mm Hg
However, participants following the Chinese heart-healthy diet experienced substantially greater improvements. Compared with the control group, the intervention group achieved additional reductions of:
- 10.0 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure
- 3.8 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure
Importantly, the benefits were consistent across all four regional cuisines, suggesting the approach can be adapted broadly within Chinese culinary traditions.
Researchers also reported no significant differences in adverse events between the two groups, and none were linked to the dietary intervention.
The results indicate that a culturally tailored Chinese heart-healthy diet can effectively lower blood pressure while remaining palatable and affordable.
Researchers conclude that this dietary approach offers a practical strategy for hypertension management among people who regularly consume Chinese cuisine, with potential implications for global public health.
The study was published in Circulation and conducted by Yanfang Wang and colleagues.
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