Effect of body weight changes on changes in ambulatory and standardized non-physician blood pressures over three...

This study examines the relationship of changes in body mass index (BMI) to changes in measures of both casual and ambulatory blood pressures over three years.

In this prospective study of men aged 30-60 years, a cohort of 198 participants was followed for three years. Height, weight, demographic characteristics, and casual and ambulatory measures of blood pressure (BP) were obtained at baseline and 3-year follow-up.

Change in BMI was significantly associated with change in all ambulatory (awake, work, home, and sleep) and casual systolic and diastolic blood pressures. After controlling for age and race/ethnicity, the association remained significant for nine of the twelve BP change measures. Further tests show that the effect of a change in BMI on BP change does not vary across the six systolic blood pressures or across the six diastolic measures. An average-height man gaining 5 kg (11 pounds) typically exhibited a 2.5 mm Hg increase in systolic and a 1.8 mm Hg increase in diastolic casual and ambulatory BPs. There is no evidence that changes in BP were associated with age, race/ethnicity (blacks vs. Hispanics vs. whites), or the average of the baseline and follow-up levels of BMI. In addition, the impact of weight gain is similar in magnitude, but in the opposite direction, to that of weight loss.

Changes in BMI over three years predict changes in ambulatory and standardized non-physician BPs. These changes in BP are not related to average BMI level or age.