A simple way to prevent the development of high blood pressure has been found

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High blood pressure is one of the leading factors of cardiovascular diseases. If timely measures are not taken, the circulatory system suffers greatly, the risk of heart attack, stroke and other diseases increases.

According to a new study by Chinese scientists published in the journal of the American Heart Association Hypertension, a balanced diet that includes protein from of various sources, capable of reducing the risk of developing high blood pressure.

The authors of the study analyzed information on the health of nearly 12,000 adult residents of China who participated in studies of the health and nutrition of the country's population from 1997 to 2015. The survey included information about diet and food products.

Participants were assigned a “protein diversity score” based on the number of different sources of this nutrient. They were:

• whole grain products;
• refined grain products;
• processed red meat;
• unprocessed red meat;
• poultry;
• fish;
• eggs;
• legumes.

The average follow-up time was six years. For the first time, hypertension was defined as systolic (upper) arterial pressure above or equal to 140 mm Hg. Art. and/or diastolic (lower) – above or equal to 90 mm Hg. Art. Taking medication for high blood pressure or if hypertension was diagnosed by a doctor was noted.

The analysis showed that 35% of the study participants developed hypertension during the observation period. At the same time, compared to participants with the lowest protein intake score (less than two points), participants with a high score for the variety of protein products (four points and above) had a 66% lower risk of developing high blood pressure.

“Nutrition can be an easily accessible and effective measure to combat hypertension,” says one of the authors of the study, MD, an employee of the National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Diseases, Nanfang Xianhui Qin Hospital. – A balanced diet rich in protein from a variety of sources, rather than focusing on a single source of protein, can prevent the development of high blood pressure.