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High Blood Pressure
Risk Factors and Prevention - Prevention
More than 2 out of 3 Americans ages 20-74 are either overweight or
obese. Overweight and obesity increase your chances of developing
high blood pressure and diabetes, which, in turn, increase your
chances of developing heart disease. Blood pressure rises as body
weight increases. Losing even 10 pounds can lower blood pressure --
and it has the greatest effect for those who are overweight and
already have hypertension. Talk to your health care provider about
lifestyle changes that can lower your blood pressure and prevent
hypertension. If you are overweight or obese, work with your health
care provider to develop a plan to help you lower your weight and
maintain a healthy weight. Aim to reduce your weight by 7 to 10
percent over six months, which can lower your risk for health
problems. For example, if you are overweight at 200 pounds, try to
lose 14 to 20 pounds over six months. After that, you may have to
continue to lose weight to get to a healthy weight.
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