Effect Of Weight Loss On Prehypertension In Men Of Normal Weight

Objective: Although weight loss has been a cornerstone of the treatment recommendations for prehypertension in patients who are obese or overweight, studies that demonstrate how weight loss affects prehypertensive patients who are of normal weight are limited. Design and Method: Among men of normal weight who underwent a general health checkup in 2012 at the Ulsan University Hospital Health Promotion Center, Ulsan, South Korea, 959 were diagnosed with prehypertension and were included in this study. They underwent a follow-up general health checkup in 2014. Those who had diabetes, cardiovascular disease, renal insufficiency, thyroid dysfunction, or malignancy were excluded from the analysis. Weight change was calculated by using the following formula: weight change = weight in 2014 (kg) − weight in 2012 (kg), and classified as loss (≤−3.0 kg), stable (−2.9 to 2.9 kg), or gain (≥ 3.0 kg). The odds of disappearance of prehypertension in the three groups were calculated by using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: The loss group showed a 2.53-fold increase in the odds of normalization of prehypertension (odds ratio [OR], 2.53; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24–5.14) as compared with the stable group. However, the gain group showed a decrease in the odds of normalization of prehypertension (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.53–1.66). Conclusions: These results show that losing weight contributed to the normalization of prehypertension in men of normal weight.