Sympathetic Activity and Body Mass Index Contribute to Blood Pressure Levels.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationships between obesity (BMI) and BP levels, leptin levels, sympathetic activity, and insulin sensitivity in a Japanese male population. In 912 young, non-diabetic, Japanese men with a wide range of BMI (16.5-33.6kg/m²), blood pressure (BP), fasting plasma norepinephrine (NE), insulin and leptin levels were measured after an overnight fast. The cohort consisted of 603 normotensive and 309 hypertensive subjects. The study was carried out using a cross-sectional design. When the subjects were subdivided by tertile in relation to BMI, the 101 subjects in the heaviest group (BMI>27.9kg/m²) had a significantly higher systolic BP (ppppp2). In the whole cohort, BMI correlated with mean BP (ppppppppp ppr²=0.125, F=10.51, p=0.0001). These results suggest that obesity (BMI) and heightened sympathetic nervous system activity contribute to BP elevation (hypertension). (Hypertens Res 2000; 23: 303-310)