Objective: The current study aimed to investigate the effect of sport in controlling hypertension.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, in the period between 2022 and 2023. The data collection was based on an online electronic questionnaire via link and personal interview. The questionnaire had four parts: sociodemographic information, the characteristics of hypertension, factors affecting hypertension, and assessing physical activity.
Results: In the current study, the data were collected from 442 Saudi participants. Among the sample, 292 participants reported being hypertensive (66.1%). Hypertensive patients were significantly older (p-value = 0.000), males (p-value = 0.029), less educated (p-value = 0.001), and more likely to report other medical conditions (p-value = 0.000). Among the hypertensive patients, 62.0% reported having blood pressure (BP) of more than 140/90 mmHg during the last assessment. It was found that only 36.0% of the patients were considered active, while 64% of them had suboptimal activity.
Conclusion: The current study showed low adherence to sports among hypertensive patients in Saudi Arabia. Patients who assumed high BP were more likely to be physically active. Younger participants, male gender, and higher educated participants were associated with more physical activity.
Key words: Hypertension, blood pressure, physical exercise, sport, Saudi Arabia
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