Blood pressure in vegetarians and non-vegetarians: A cross-sectional analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between dietary status and blood pressure (BP) in a population of adult Seventh Day Adventists attending a statewide church conference. A total of 215 conferees ( age=52 yrs.) volunteered to complete a lifestyle questionnaire (LSQ) designed to obtain information on selected demographic and psychosocial variables, medical history, and dietary and other health-related habits. Height and weight were measured, and a minimum of two blood pressure readings using a random baseline mercury sphygmomanometer were taken from each individual by observers blind to the participants' LSQ responses. Participants were divided into vegetarian and nonvegetarian categories hased on self-reported dietary habits. Significantly fewer (X 2=14.4, p<.001) vegetarians (n=21, 14.0%) reported a history of physician-diagnosed hypertension compared to non-vegetarians (n=24, 36.9%). All subjects taking prescribed antihypertensive medications and antihistamines were excluded from further analysis (n=27). An analysis of variance showed that blood pressure of vegetarians (n=135, =114/71) was significantly lower (p<.05) than the BP of the non-vegetarians (n=53, =122/74). When blood pressures were adjusted for the covariates of age, sex, and body mass index, there was no significant difference in blood pressure between the two groups. Further analyses revealed that the lower BP in the vegetarians appeared to be best explained by their lower body mass index.