The Department of Health (DH) urged members of the public to pay attention to their blood pressure level with regular checks and lead a healthy lifestyle with early diagnosis to fight against non-communicable diseases including hypertension to support World Hypertension Day held on May 17 every year.

     An adult is said to have hypertension if systolic blood pressure is persistently higher than or equal to 140 millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and/or diastolic blood pressure is persistently higher than or equal to 90 mmHg. Hypertension is a silent killer and seldom causes symptoms until complications develop. If left uncontrolled or not properly treated, hypertension can lead to serious health problems including stroke, heart attack and kidney failure.

     The Population Health Survey (PHS) 2020-22 conducted by the DH revealed that nearly 30 per cent of non-institutionalised persons aged 15 to 84 had hypertension in Hong Kong, and the prevalence of hypertension increased with age from less than 5 per cent among persons aged 15 to 24 to over a half among persons aged 65 to 84. Among those with hypertension, more than 40 per cent were not aware of having raised blood pressure until attending the PHS health examination.

     A spokesman for the DH said that adopting a healthy lifestyle is essential for the prevention of hypertension. It is also one of the key self-care management ways to control hypertension. Members of the public should maintain an optimal body weight and waist circumference, cut back on salt and have a balanced diet, be physically active and limit sedentary behaviour. They are also advised to refrain from drinking alcohol, to not smoke and avoid secondhand smoke.

     In particular, the detrimental effects of high salt consumption on blood pressure are well recognised. The higher the salt intake, the higher the risk of hypertension. According to the World Health Organization, healthy adults should consume less than 5 grams of salt per day. However, according to the PHS 2020-22, local persons aged 15 to 84 consumed a daily average of 8.4g salt. The spokesman reminded members of the public to keep the total salt intake below 5g per day. Meanwhile, iodised salt instead of ordinary table salt is recommended so as to increase iodine intake and maintain adequate iodine nutrition.

     Apart from paying attention to salt intake, people should also engage in at least 150 to 300 minutes of physical activities of moderate intensity (such as brisk walking) or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous physical activities (such as jogging) every week as regular exercise can bring about numerous health benefits, including reducing blood pressure.

     To contain the prevalence of raised blood pressure, the Government will continue organising health promotional campaigns to enhance public awareness about the importance of healthy living and regular measurement of blood pressure. For persons aged 45 or above, the risk of hypertension is exponentially rising and early detection of hypertension will be critical for maintaining blood pressure within a normal range. The Government is proactively inviting the public who have no known medical history of hypertension to start screening by their family doctors or at the District Health Centre (DHC)/DHC Express. The implementation of Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme has provided subsidised services to support long-term care in the community. The Government will also continue to closely collaborate with community partners to foster a health-enhancing environment and drive better self-care for better control of blood pressure subject to individual risk.

     More information on hypertension is available on the DH's thematic page at www.chp.gov.hk/en/healthtopics/content/25/35390.html.

Ends/Friday, May 17, 2024
Issued at HKT 11:00

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