Higher Education Shown To Lower Blood Pressure Among Blacks

According to researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, education trumps genetics as a predictor of high blood pressure in African Americans. The study, published in the August 2012 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, examined data from nearly 3,700 white and African-American adults participating in the Family Blood Pressure Program Study and found that among African-American participants, each year of education was associated with a 0.51 mmHg drop in blood pressure.

Four years of additional education would result in a decrease of 2 mmHg systolic (the top number) blood pressure, lead author, Amy Non, predicted, a decrease that could contribute to a reduction in hypertension-related deaths.

Nom says that education can lead to higher levels of health knowledge and improved health behaviors, better job opportunities and a more positive attitude.

"While genetics undoubtedly plays a role in hypertension, our findings suggest that education level plays an even larger role in health disparities in hypertension," she told MSNBC. "This means that improved access to education among African Americans may reduce racial disparities in blood pressure."

Related on HuffPost:

Foods That Naturally Lower Blood Pressure

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Kiwis

Research presented at a meeting last year of the American Heart Association shows that eating three kiwis a day is linked with decreased blood pressure.
That study included 188 men and women age 55 and older, with slightly high blood pressure. They were instructed to eat three kiwis a day, or an apple a day for eight weeks.
The researchers found that the people who ate the kiwis had lower systolic blood pressure levels than those who ate the apples.
Kiwis are known to be rich in lutein, which means they have antioxidant properties.
Flickr photo by whologwhy.