High blood pressure set to become a major problem as nation ages

Early prevention

He believes it would be beneficial to focus on children, because the body is programmed during the earliest stages of life, even in the womb, and many surveys around the world have shown that early changes to blood vessels can be linked to high blood pressure.

Given those facts, children should be taught about the value of a healthy diet and regular exercise, which - combined with not smoking or drinking excessively - can reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, according to Anderson.

"That's why we should think about schools, about the children who are tomorrow's adults. How do we change their habits?" he said.

His institute is conducting a survey called the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study to determine if the introduction of a low-sodium salt substitute could lower the risk of having a stroke.

"It's only being conducted in China, because salt consumption here is among the highest in the world," Anderson said, noting that the recommended daily level is 5 grams, but Chinese people consume an average of 12 grams.

Chinese cuisine traditionally uses salt and soy sauce, which both contain large amounts of sodium. While the element is essential for the body to function correctly, it is also one of the leading causes of hypertension if consumed excessively.

The Chinese preference for pork and pickled vegetables also contributes to high salt consumption. In ancient times, people countered a lack of fresh food in winter by using salt as a preservative for meats, a practice that has left the Chinese with a taste for salty dishes.

"We see very, very high salt consumption, and salt is linked to blood pressure," said Anderson, adding that the high incidence of heart attacks and strokes will not be reduced without radical changes to the national diet.

People age 50 or older who have been diagnosed with hypertension should have an annual health check that focuses on their blood pressure, but that is rare in China, he said.

"If you have had a stroke, blockage (in blood vessels) or (cranial) bleeding, getting your blood pressure under better control afterward could prevent another stroke or heart attack," he said.

A report published by the WHO in 2013 indicated that hypertension was more prevalent in low-and middle-income countries. It noted that the highest rate was found in Africa, where the condition affected 46 percent of people age 25 and older in 2008, while the lowest rate (35 percent) was found in the Americas, mostly as a result of early detection and treatment.

The report also noted that from 1972 to 2007 the mortality rate from heart attacks among working-age people in Finland fell by 85 percent after preventive measures were introduced, including dietary changes, hypertension medication and anti-smoking campaigns.