Hypertension in College Students: Exploring the Prevalence and Risk Factors

Abstract

Early onset of hypertension (HTN) raises the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in the U.S. For university students who do not follow healthy diets or lifestyles, high blood pressure (BP) may be markedly prevalent. Researchers utilized a cross-sectional design to assess HTN prevalence and its risk factors among college students (N = 123). Self-administered surveys comprising four validated questionnaires: the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants-Shortened (REAPS), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Quality (DASH-Q), and the U.S. Adult Food Security Survey (FSS) were employed. Additionally, physical measurements were conducted, including height, weight, waist circumference (WC), and BP. Results indicated that 71.6% of students had elevated BP, with 24.4% classified as Stage 1 HTN and 23.6% as Stage 2 HTN. Notably, 60% of students reported low adherence to the DASH diet and a mean REAPS score of 26.3 out of 39. Students experiencing marginal food security had higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) 131.7 ± 16.8 mm Hg compared to those with high food security 123.03 ± 11.7 mm Hg (p = 0.028). Furthermore, REAPS scores showed a negative correlation with diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ( β = −0.201, p = 0.03). Significant predictors for SBP included WC ( β = 0.40, p < 0.001), gender ( β = −0.33, p < 0.001), and marginal food security ( β = 0.16, p = 0.046). The findings highlight the need for BP screenings and nutrition education programs to improve dietary habits among college students, which may help reduce HTN and its associated long-term risks for CVD.