The effects of age, gender, obesity, health habits, and vegetable consumption frequency on hypertension in elderly Chinese Americans

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of age, gender, obesity, consumption frequency of selected vegetables, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, and tea consumption on the prevalence rate (PR) of hypertension in elderly Chinese Americans. Hypertension is defined as having a systolic blood pressure (SBP) and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥140 mm Hg and ≥90 mm Hg, respectively. A total of 205 subjects were recruited in the Chinatown section of Los Angeles, CA. Hypertension was more prevalent in the oldest age groups for both sexes (45.1%), and the percentage of hypertension for men was lower than those of female counterparts (47% vs. 53%, respectively). The percentage of lean (body mass index [BMI] < 25 kg/m2) hypertensive subjects was higher than those of obese (BMI > 27 kg/m2) hypertensive subjects in group 1 (50-64 years), group 2 (65-74 years), and group 3 (≥75 years) (32%, 24%, and 26%; vs. 3%, 11%, and 13%, respectively). The overall percentage of obese hypertensive subjects was higher in women than those of their male counterparts (13% vs. 6%, respectively) and increased substantially with age as well. In conclusion, age and gender (particularly in lean men and obese women), were the greater risk factors for the development of hypertension.