Effects of Physical Exercise on Body Composition and Resting Blood Pressure among Patients with Uncontrolled Hypertension

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is one of the major public health challenges worldwide because of its high prevalence and concomitant risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular morbidity and mortality. Different studies indicate that majority of the peoples died in sub-Saharan Africa with heart failure and stroke as the result of high blood pressure. Excess body fat, especially upper body fat is associated with enhancing the frequency of hypertension occurrence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of physical activity on changes of body composition and resting blood pressure among sedentary hypertensive patients, as an effective non-pharmacological alternative means of control and prevention of hypertension. Methods: Experimental design was employed to measure the effects of physical activity on body composition among sedentary hypertensive patients. Thirty (30) hypertensive adult participants were selected. Before and after the intervention, participants’ mean arterial pressure, body weight, percentage of body fat, waist and hip circumferences were measured for each subject in experimental and control group. Results: The current findings demonstrated a greater change of body weight, percentage of body fat, and mean arterial pressure between pre and post measurements in the experimental group (Body weight pre 87.0 + 7.26 kg, Body weight post 83.73 + 7.74 kg; Mean arterial pressure pre 123.7 + 3.76 mm Hg, Mean arterial pressure post 120.2 + 4.39mm Hg; and Body fat percentage pre 40.16 + 1.13 %, Body fat percentage post 38.44 + 1.15 %). Among the control group however, all these measurements spontaneously increased significantly (p<0.0005) from pre to posttest period. Conclusion: The results of this experimental study revealed that regular physical exercise is an effective alternative control of hypertension among sedentary hypertensive patients, as evidenced by significant decrease in body composition parameters and resting blood pressure from baseline (pretest) to post intervention period.