. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Dec 14.

Published in final edited form as: Circulation. 2019 Mar 17;140(11):e596–e646. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000678

Table 7.

Best Proven Nonpharmacological Interventions for Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension^*

	Nonpharmacological Intervention	Goal	Approximate Impact on SBP
	Nonpharmacological Intervention	Goal	Hypertension	Normotension	Reference
Weight loss	Weight/body fat	Best goal is ideal body weight, but aim for at least a 1-kg reduction in body weight for most adults who are overweight. Expect about 1 mm Hg for every 1-kg reduction in body weight.	−5 mm Hg	−2/3 mm Hg	S4.4-2
Healthy diet	DASH dietary pattern^†	Consume a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, with reduced content of saturated and total fat.	−11 mm Hg	−3 mm Hg	S4.4-7, S4.4-8
Reduced intake of dietary sodium	Dietary sodium	Optimal goal is <1500 mg/d, but aim for at least a 1000-mg/d reduction in most adults.	−5/6 mm Hg	−2/3 mm Hg	S4.4-10, S4.4-12
Enhanced intake of dietary potassium	Dietary potassium	Aim for 3500–5000 mg/d, preferably by consumption of a diet rich in potassium.	−4/5 mm Hg	−2 mm Hg	S4.4-14
Physical activity	Aerobic	90–150 min/wk 65%–75% heart rate reserve	−5/8 mm Hg	−2/4 mm Hg	S4.4-19, S4.4-20
	Dynamic resistance	90–150 min/wk 50%–80% 1 rep maximum 6 exercises, 3 sets/exercise, 10 repetitions/set	−4 mm Hg	−2 mm Hg	S4.4-19
	Isometric resistance	4 × 2 min (hand grip), 1 min rest between exercises, 30%–40% maximum voluntary contraction, 3 sessions/wk 8–10 wk	−5 mm Hg	−4 mm Hg	S4.4-21, S4.4-78
Moderation in alcohol intake	Alcohol consumption	In individuals who drink alcohol, reduce alcohol^‡ to: Men: ≤2 drinks daily Women: ≤1 drink daily	−4 mm Hg	−3 mm Hg	S4.4-20, S4.4-24, S4.4-25

Type, dose, and expected impact on BP in adults with a normal BP and with hypertension.

^†

Detailed information about the DASH diet is available via the NHLBI^S4.4-81 and Dashdiet.org.^S4.4-82

^‡

In the United States, 1 “standard” drink contains roughly 14 g of pure alcohol, which is typically found in 12 oz of regular beer (usually about 5% alcohol), 5 oz of wine (usually about 12% alcohol), and 1.5 oz of distilled spirits (usually about 40% alcohol).^S4.4-80

BP indicates blood pressure; DASH, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension; NHLBI, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; and SBP, systolic blood pressure.