Pollution increases your risk of hypertension: Fight this with regular exercise

People who regularly exercise tend to have a lower risk of hypertension, even if they live in areas where air pollution is relatively high, say researchers.

By: Jahnavi Sarma | | Updated: July 22, 2020 9:40 am

People who were inactive and exposed to highly polluted air had a higher high blood pressure risk. @Shutterstock

Air pollution is one of the major concerns these days. Even the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that air pollution is bad as tobacco in terms of affecting your lungs. Studies have said that environmental pollution can have adverse health effects. One of the risks of exposure to pollution is elevated blood pressure levels. The risk-benefit relationship between air pollution and physical activity is an important public concern because more than 91 per cent of people worldwide live in areas where air quality does not meet the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Also Read - Best workouts that will give you a sexy butt and toned thighs

According to new study from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, extended outdoor activity in urban areas increases the intake of air pollutants, which can worsen the harmful health effects of air pollution. Researchers found that while high physical activity combined with lower air pollution exposure was linked to lower risk of high blood pressure, physical activity continued to have a protective effect even when people were exposed to high pollution levels. According to the study, published in the journal Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, the message is that physical activity, even in polluted air, is an important high blood pressure prevention strategy. Also Read - 5 healthy living habits to keep hypertension at bay

Pollution is a major risk factor of hypertension

For the findings, the research team studied more than 140,000 non-hypertensive adults in Taiwan and followed them for an average of 5 years. The researchers classified the weekly physical activity levels of each adult as inactive, moderately active or highly active. They also classified the level of exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) as low, moderate and high. PM2.5 is the most commonly used indicator of air pollution. The study found that overall, people who are highly active and exposed to low levels of pollution had a lower risk of developing high blood pressure. Also Read - Strength training: The best fitness workout to boost overall health

Risk goes up for people with sedentary lifestyle in polluted areas

People who were inactive and exposed to highly polluted air had a higher high blood pressure risk. Each increase in PM2.5 level was associated with a 38 per cent increase in risk of incident hypertension, whereas each increase in physical activity level lead to a 6 per cent lower risk of hypertension. This suggests that reducing air pollution is more effective in preventing high blood pressure.

Risk of high blood pressure goes down by 13 per cent

According to the researchers, the benefits of regular physical activity held up regardless of the pollution level. People who exercised moderately had a four per cent lower risk of high blood pressure than those who didn’t exercise. People who exercised at a high level had a 13 per cent lower risk of high blood pressure than the non-exercisers, say researchers.

What you can do to bring down your risk

You can also do your bit to reduce pollution. Use public transport. Instead of taking your car, you can cycle or walk to commute. Stay away from smokers and reduce usage of household chemical cleaners. Install exhaust fans in kitchen and bathrooms. Boost your body’s immunity. This will help you fight off the adverse effects of pollution. Exercise more and eat a diet rich in antioxidants.

(With inputs from IANS)

Published : July 21, 2020 6:49 pm | Updated:July 22, 2020 9:40 am

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