Occupational Physical Activity and New-Onset Hypertension: A Nationwide Cohort Study in China

Abstract

The association between occupational physical activity (OPA) and the risk of hypertension remains uncertain. We aimed to examine the prospective relations of OPA and new-onset hypertension among Chinese males and females. A total of 9350 adults who were free of hypertension at baseline were enrolled from the CHNS study (China Health and Nutrition Survey). Data on OPA were obtained by using self-reported questionnaires and calculated as metabolic equivalent task (MET)–hours per week. MET–hours per week may account for both intensity and time spent on activities. The study outcome was new-onset hypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg or diagnosed by physician or under antihypertensive treatment during the follow-up. During a median of 6.1 years (82 410 person-years) of follow-up, a total of 2949 participants developed hypertension. Overall, there was a L-shaped association between the OPA and new-onset hypertension in males and a U-shaped association in females (all P values for nonlinearity <0.001). Accordingly, when OPA was categorized as four groups (<80, 80–<160, 160–<240, and ≥240 metabolic MET–hours per week), in males, the risk of new-onset hypertension was significantly increased only among participants with OPA <80 MET–hours per week; however, in females, the lowest risk of new-onset hypertension was found among those with OPA 80 to 240 MET–hours per week. In summary, moderate OPA, in terms of both duration and intensity, is associated with a lower risk of new-onset hypertension among both males and females, whereas heavy OPA was related to increased risk of new-onset hypertension in females.