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PMID: 7039371 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. Review

The experimental evidence for weight-loss treatment of essential hypertension: a critical review.

American journal of public health ·Vol. 72 ·No. 4 ·1982-04-00 ·Pages 359-68

Hovell MF

Abstract

The empirical evidence concerning the therapeutic effects of weight loss for hypertension treatment was reviewed. Interventions were critically reviewed for strength of measures and experimental design. Six of 21 intervention studies proved to be methodologically strong. However, only one study was considered a randomized clinical trial, testing the combined effects of weight reduction and pharmacological treatment of hypertension. Average blood pressure decrease obtained from the methodologically strongest studies was -21 mmHg and -13 mmHg, for systolic and diastolic measures, respectively. This magnitude change suggests that weight loss may be a clinically and statistically significant treatment. Confounding and bias variables, such as adherence to diet, medication, salt consumption, etc., were discussed and future areas of research were outlined. It was concluded that weight loss appears to be an effective and safe treatment of hypertension.

MeSH Terms
Adolescent Adult Aged Blood Pressure Body Weight Female Humans Hypertension/etiology,therapy Male Middle Aged Obesity/complications
Authors & Affiliations
1 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Hovell M F
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Article Info
Journal
American journal of public health
Abbr.
Am J Public Health
ISSN
0090-0036
DOI
10.2105/ajph.72.4.359
Published
1982-04-00
Pages
359-68
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
1254074
PMCID
PMC1649894
Subset
IM
Grants
PHS HHS · 71-2161-L · United States
NHLBI NIH HHS · HL7365 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.2105/ajph.72.4.359 PMC Full Text View journal details
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