Adherence of Hypertension Patients to a Healthy Diet and Physical Activity: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: One of the main pathological risk factors for the emergence of many cardiovascular illnesses is high blood pressure (BP). Exercise and diet play a significant role in modifying blood pressure, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Objectives: To summarize the available data on the extent of compliance of hypertensive patients to diet and exercise. Methods: PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Science Direct were systematically searched for relevant literature. Rayyan QRCI was employed throughout this comprehensive process. Results and Interpretation: We included fourteen studies with a total of 752 patients, and 215 (28.6%) were males. One of the key elements in managing hypertension is physical activity. Only research revealed a low rate of compliance with dietary requirements. A decrease in the number of fruits and vegetables ingested and increased consumption of fatty and salty foods are examples of this non-compliance. Family support and self-motivation were found to be strongly correlated with diet compliance. Three studies indicated that patients had high levels of adherence to their diet and medicine, particularly those who had a family history of hypertension. Future research should concentrate on exposures that are probably biologically linked to the risk of hypertension and blood pressure changes, even though the quality of the available data is still poor.