A cross-sectional study of the relationship between physical activity and sedentary behavior for hypertension in Chinese adults

Introduction: Lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of hypertension. Our study investigated whether physical activity in specific domains (e.g., work, leisure, and household) and sedentary behavior (e.g., work and leisure) were associated with different stages of hypertension, and whether these associations were moderated by age. Method :This cross-sectional study data was obtained from health examination records of a tertiary hospital from August 30, 2024, to January 3, 2025 (n = 1,530). General demographic characteristics of the study participants were collected through data collection. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess physical activity in specific domains (expressed in terms of metabolic equivalent task [MET]-intensity) and sedentary time (measured in hours). A logistic regression model was employed to analyze the relationship between physical activity and sedentary behavior and different stages of hypertension, with interaction terms to investigate whether age moderates this association. Result :Our study included 1,530 participants, 47.8% of whom were female and 52.2% male. The risk of a one-grade increase in blood pressure levels was reduced in participants with moderate-intensity physical activity compared to low-intensity physical activity during weekly leisure time (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.41–0.86). Among participants aged 18–34 years (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.20–0.87) and 45–54 years old (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.20–0.91), those engaged in leisure-related moderate-intensity physical activity had a lower risk of elevated blood pressure. Among participants aged 55–64, those with a sedentary work duration of 4–6 hours had an increased risk of elevated blood pressure (OR 4.73, 95% CI 1.81–18.92). Conclusion :Our findings support the widespread promotion of active lifestyles to reduce the risk of elevated blood pressure in adults.