Fitness crucial for healthy blood pressure

Most people are aware that keeping fit can benefit the heart, keep extra pounds at bay, and strengthen our muscles. New research is discovering further health benefits all the time.

Recently, age-related rises in blood pressure were put under the microscope. Now personally speaking, I've always tended to have blood pressure below the average (causing occasional dizziness when I stand up), but for many of us, especially men, blood pressure tends to rise with age independently of any weight gain.

Men who are largely sedentary often develop the early signs of high blood pressure in their mid-40s, but the blood pressure of men with strong cardio-fitness doesn't become high till their mid-50s on average.

Normal resting blood pressure is defined as 100 to 140 mmHg systolic (maximum pressure) and 60 to 90 mmHg diastolic (minimum pressure). High blood pressure, or hypertension, is above 140 mmHg systolic and 90 diastolic mmHg.

Sports heart screening call

British Olympic discuss thrower, Lawrence Okoye, has backed calls for heart screening on young British athletes. It has become apparent that even young, fit athletes can be affected by heart problems, with recent scares for the life of Fabrice Muamba, and the death of Piermario Morosini, both on pitch. Both of these players were unaware of the condition they possessed - which is very likely as 80% of people suffering any heart related conditions are oblivious to what they carry.