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New research suggests that high blood pressure in middle age plays a critical role in whether blood pressure in old age may affect memory and thinking.
The study found that the association of blood pressure in old age to brain measures depended on a history of blood pressure in middle age. High blood pressure is a serious condition, and one that plagues a large number of the population. Often times, high blood pressure is the result of too much sodium in the diet.
The study, published in the journal Neurology, found higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure were associated with increased risk of brain lesions and tiny brain bleeds. This was most noticeable in people without a history of high blood pressure in middle age. For example, people with no history of high blood pressure in middle age who had high diastolic blood pressure in old age were 50 percent more likely to have severe brain lesions than people with low diastolic blood pressure in old age.
However, in people with a history of high blood pressure in middle age, lower diastolic blood pressure in older age was associated with smaller total brain and gray matter volumes. This finding was reflected in memory and thinking performance measures as well. In people with high blood pressure in middle age, lower diastolic blood pressure was associated with 10 percent lower memory scores.
“Older people without a history of high blood pressure but who currently have high blood pressure are at an increased risk for brain lesions, suggesting that lowering of blood pressure in these participants might be beneficial. On the other hand, older people with a history of high blood pressure but who currently have lower blood pressure might have more extensive organ damage and are at risk of brain shrinkage and memory and thinking problems,” said study author Lenore J. Launer, Ph.D., of the National Institute on Aging, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.
Excess sodium intake can be a key contributing factor to high blood pressure, making sodium reduction a key focus in the food and beverage industry. In fact, the average American consumes about 50 percent more sodium than recommended in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Reducing sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day could reduce hypertension by as many as 11 million cases annually, according to CDC.
However, sodium reduction is no easy feat. Today’s U.S. food supply has 35 percent more sodium per person than it did in the early 1900s, based on Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) data. This is largely attributed to the widespread availability of processed and restaurant foods, which contribute 77 percent of sodium to the American diet.
While consumers are growing more aware of the implications that come with consuming too much salt, many don’t address these concerns through shopping behaviors, or by purchasing less processed foods. The reality is that a continued focus on reducing sodium in processed foods needs to be the top priority. To read more about sodium-reduction efforts, download this free FoodTech Toolbox Report
.
New research suggests that high blood pressure in middle age plays a critical role in whether blood pressure in old age may affect memory and thinking.
The study found that the association of blood pressure in old age to brain measures depended on a history of blood pressure in middle age. High blood pressure is a serious condition, and one that plagues a large number of the population. Often times, high blood pressure is the result of too much sodium in the diet.
The study, published in the journal Neurology, found higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure were associated with increased risk of brain lesions and tiny brain bleeds. This was most noticeable in people without a history of high blood pressure in middle age. For example, people with no history of high blood pressure in middle age who had high diastolic blood pressure in old age were 50 percent more likely to have severe brain lesions than people with low diastolic blood pressure in old age.
However, in people with a history of high blood pressure in middle age, lower diastolic blood pressure in older age was associated with smaller total brain and gray matter volumes. This finding was reflected in memory and thinking performance measures as well. In people with high blood pressure in middle age, lower diastolic blood pressure was associated with 10 percent lower memory scores.
“Older people without a history of high blood pressure but who currently have high blood pressure are at an increased risk for brain lesions, suggesting that lowering of blood pressure in these participants might be beneficial. On the other hand, older people with a history of high blood pressure but who currently have lower blood pressure might have more extensive organ damage and are at risk of brain shrinkage and memory and thinking problems,” said study author Lenore J. Launer, Ph.D., of the National Institute on Aging, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.
Excess sodium intake can be a key contributing factor to high blood pressure, making sodium reduction a key focus in the food and beverage industry. In fact, the average American consumes about 50 percent more sodium than recommended in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Reducing sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day could reduce hypertension by as many as 11 million cases annually, according to CDC.
However, sodium reduction is no easy feat. Today’s U.S. food supply has 35 percent more sodium per person than it did in the early 1900s, based on Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) data. This is largely attributed to the widespread availability of processed and restaurant foods, which contribute 77 percent of sodium to the American diet.
While consumers are growing more aware of the implications that come with consuming too much salt, many don’t address these concerns through shopping behaviors, or by purchasing less processed foods. The reality is that a continued focus on reducing sodium in processed foods needs to be the top priority. To read more about sodium-reduction efforts, download this free FoodTech Toolbox Report
.
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