Half of under 35s have high blood pressure due to lifestyle

Seven in 10 adults are at risk of heart attacks or strokes due to high blood pressure

Doctors say unhealthy lifestyles are to blame for increasing blood pressure among the under 35s, with a lack of exercise and consumption of salty fast food at the root of the problem.

Almost half of under-35s have blood pressure above healthy limits, with 33 per cent are in the high to very high range, according to figures from LloydsPharmacy.

Results from more than 100,000 blood pressure tests confirm 70 per cent of adults are unhealthy, with office workers among those most likely to have high blood pressure.

'These figures are a real concern and a stark reminder that high blood pressure is a major issue in the UK,' says Leslie Hamilton, a consultant cardiac surgeon at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

'The number of people suffering from high blood pressure is increasing and the age at which people develop it is getting even younger.'

Shafeeque Mohammed, heart health expert at Lloyds Pharmacy, says a blood pressure of 120/80 is good. 'Anybody with a blood pressure of more than 140/90 should be concerned and needs to make lifestyle changes.'

Blood pressure can be controlled by making lifestyle changes such as taking more exercise, quitting smoking, reducing the salt in your diet and keeping a close eye on your weight.

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