Neighbourhood may affect blood pressure

New York, July 16: Researchers found that people who lived in neighbourhoods with more opportunities for exercise, less crime, better grocery stores and a closer sense of community had a lower risk of having high blood pressure, independent of factors such as income and education level.

The findings, published in the journal Epidemiology, suggest that building better neighbourhoods might also improve residents' cardiovascular health. Walkable streets, recreational areas and better access to healthy foods may make it easier for people to exercise and maintain a healthy diet, explained Dr Ana V. Diez Roux, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health in Ann Arbor and a co-researcher on the study.

Stress may also play a role, she said. That is, living conditions that make it hard for people to relax and recover from life's daily stresses might contribute to blood pressure problems. The researchers based their findings on 2,612 adults ages 45 to 85 who took part in a larger study of cardiovascular health. All lived either in New York City, Baltimore or Forsyth County in North Carolina.

The participants were surveyed on the conditions in the mile surrounding their home, including whether they felt safe, whether nearby markets had a good selection of fruits and vegetables, and whether it was easy to walk in the neighbourhood. They were also asked about the neighbourhood's "social cohesion", including whether their neighbours were generally friendly and willing to help each other out.

Overall, Dr Roux and her colleagues found that people who lived in the most walkable neighbourhoods were about one quarter less likely to have high blood pressure than those in the least pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods.

The researchers found similar differences when they looked at neighbourhood safety, availability of healthy foods and social cohesion. The links did diminish, however, when the investigators factored in study participants' race and ethnicity. Still, Dr Roux said, the findings suggest that neighbourhood characteristics play some role in the risk of high blood pressure.

This means that policies that improve communities, from crime reduction, to more parks, to better food choices - might also help improve people's health, she noted. -Reuters