A new study reveals dining out is directly related to high blood pressure.

Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore researchers found that eating out has been shown to be associated with higher caloric intake, higher saturated fat intake and higher salt intake. The study states these eating patterns are thought to cause high blood pressure.

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Hypertension can dramatically increase the risk of a number of health problems, including Type 2 diabetes, and is the leading risk factor for death from cardiovascular disease.

To make their study, researchers surveyed 501 university-going young adults aged 18 to 40 years in Singapore. Data on blood pressure, body mass index and lifestyle, including meals eaten away from home and physical activity levels, were collected. Their association with hypertension was then determined.

Researchers gathered data on a number of parameters, including blood pressure and body mass index, and also looked at lifestyle factors, including the number of meals eaten outside the home and levels of physical activity.

Using statistical analysis, the team discovered that pre-hypertension was found in 27.4 percent of the participants, and 38 percent ate more than 12 meals away from home per week.

On the other hand, the gender breakdown showed that pre-hypertension was more prevalent in men (49 percent) than in women (9 percent).

Those that had pre-hypertension or hypertension were more likely to eat more meals away from home per week; have a higher mean body mass index; have lower mean physical activity levels and are smokers.

Researchers stated that even eating a single extra meal out every week raised the risks of pre-hypertension by at least six percent.

"While there have been studies conducted in the United States and Japan to find behaviors associated with hypertension, very few have surveyed a Southeast Asian population. Our research plugs that gap and highlights lifestyle factors associated with pre-hypertension and hypertension that are potentially modifiable, and would be applicable to young adults globally, especially those of Asian descent," said lead author Tazeen Jafar.

Jafar said the problem of eating habits linked to high blood pressure has been researched previously in other parts of the world, but the latest study is the first to address the particular populations at risk in Southeast Asia.

Results of the study can be used to modify behavior through changes in clinical and policy recommendations.

The findings appeared in the American Journal of Hypertension.

TagsFrequent Dining Out Increase the Risk of High Blood Pressure, high blood pressure, eat out, dine out, Hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease