The Predposition of Veg and Non Veg to Hypertension

Introduction

The relationship between diet and hypertension remains an area of controversy and research interest. Hypertension exerts a staggering worldwide burden on human quality of life and healthy care system resources via contribution to increased mortality and risk of cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infraction, angina pectoris, heart failure and stroke. The vegetarian diets are rich in carbohydrate where as non – vegetarian diets are protein rich. The different types of food habits are also responsible for hypertension. Also a vegetarian diet is one wherein a person consumes all types of plant foods along with milk and dairy and non vegetarian diet includes meat , poultry and fish , etc. The vegetarian diet when compared with non vegetarian diet appears to be low in factors positively related to blood pressure, and high in protective factors.

Too much amount of sodium in diet can cause the body to retain fluid, which increases blood pressure. A low fat diet is recommended for most people who need to reach or maintain a healthy weight. A lower fat diet also keep cholesterol levels low. High cholesterol can increase the risk of a stroke, or heart disease. Saturated fats usually found in processed foods like pies and cake, red meats , butter, palm oil and ghee.

The main aim of this study is to create awareness among people that which among vegetarians or non vegetarians will be prone to hypertension.

Discussion

72% non veg and 28% veg took part in this survey. Mostly 32% of people consume fruits , vegetables and low dairy products in the diet, which is rich in nutrients such as potassium , magnesium, calcium, fiber and protein and it was reported by Beilin and Burke that a diet with a low level of saturated fat, a high potassium ratio and high level of vegetable fiber was associated with a clear reduction in BP. Also 30% of the people include cheese, butter and fatty products in their diet, which causes different effects on blood pressure. 33% of non vegetarian eats meat which contains fat. Cholesterol and saturated fats have been identified as factors of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

It appears that hypertension is a risk factor who consume non vegetarian food. It is noticed that people consume non veg food 3-4 time a week and mostly meat which contains fat and especially prepacked meats, tend to be loaded with sodium, it makes the body to retain water.

39% of the population includes high amount of salt on daily basis, High dietary salt intake presents a major challenge to the kidneys to excrete large amount of salt administered.

Other studies showed that other types of nutrients which is characteristic of the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium are associated with reduced BP, but the findings are inconsistent. The interaction between the nutrients like sodium-to-potassium ratio or the BP, it is lowering the effect of potassium and calcium due to their ability to increase sodium excretion by kidney. Another study on VEG Chinese subjects showed that the western vegetarian diets with high sodium and low calcium intake predisposes to hypertension.

The another study showed that vegetarians had lower level of lipids and blood pressure supporting that vegetarian diet has cardiovascular health benefits. Previous studies investigated that the relationship between diet and BP reported that vegetarian food had lowered the BPs than non vegetarian.

Conclusion

It is concluded veg eaters have low blood pressure as their diet contains potassium, calcium and magnesium and it contains less amount of sodium. Non veg eaters have little high blood pressure as their diet contains meat with saturated fat which can be risk factor of hypertension.