Association between Hypertension and Dietary Patterns among Adults Residents of Khorramabad

Hypertension is a common public health problem, both in the developed and the developing countries. In Iran approximately one in every four adults has high blood pressure. Many factors, e.g dietary pattern, can affect the incidence of high blood pressure. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between hypertension and dietary patterns. In this cross-sectional study, the 973 participants were residents of Khorramabad. Food intake assessments were measured by a validated semi quantitative 201-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Hypertension was identified as systolic blood pressure>140 mm/Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure>90 mm/Hg. Dietary patterns were identified by factor analyses. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the associations of dietary patterns and hypertension. The three major dietary patterns identified were the Traditional Dietary pattern (TDP), the Healthy Dietary Pattern (HDP), and the Western Dietary Pattern (WDP). Subjects in the highest quintile of the WDP scores had a greater odds ratio for hypertension (odds ratio: 2; 95% CI: 1.04-3.85; P=0.037) than those in the lowest quintile. Before BMI adjustment, compared with those in the lowest quintile, subjects in the highest quintile of HDP scores had lower odds for hypertension (0.56; 0.34-0.93; P=0.043), a relationship however that was not significant after BMI adjustment (P=0.06). TDP consumption and hypertension were not significantly associated (0.71; 0.37-1.35; P=0.29). The WDP had a direct association with the risk of hypertension. More longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the exact association between dietary patterns and hypertension.