The Associations of Dietary Patterns and Lifestyle Factors with Hypertension, its Medication Adherence and Control in an Australian Sample

Abstract

High blood pressure (or hypertension) is an epidemic medical condition affecting one-third of Australian adults. The high disease-related mortality and economic burden associated with hypertension have prompted extensive scientific interest. The development of hypertension is largely influenced by lifestyle risk factors. Poor dietary habits such as a high intake of salt and saturated fats and a low intake of fruit and vegetables, physical inactivity, overconsumption of alcohol, smoking and stress are the major risk factors of hypertension. The complex nature of diet and food intake requires focusing on the whole food and food intake patterns, in addition to the single nutrients and food items, to capture their association with chronic disease. However, the literature exploring the dietary patterns of Australians and their association with hypertension is scarce. In addition, poor physical and psychological wellbeing may increase the risk of hypertension. However, it is not clear whether all of these factors are equally associated with hypertension, or whether the influences of some factors are more critical than others. Furthermore, although medication is commonly used for the treatment of hypertension, its adherence is low. Therefore, there is a need to explore the factors associated with poor hypertension medication adherence in the Australian population.