Leisure-Time Daily Walking and Blood Pressure Among Chinese Older Adults Evidence From the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS)

This descriptive, cross-sectional study aimed to describe the characteristics of participants who engaged in leisure-time daily walking (LTDW) and examine the relationship between LTDW and blood pressure (BP) in Chinese older adults in general, and specifically among Chinese older adults with hypertension. Participants included 780 adults who were 65 and older from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Participants self-reported their LTDW time, and BP was measured three times using an Omron HEM-7200 Monitor. Multiple linear regression models and ordinal logistical models were used to examine the characteristics of daily walkers and associations between LTDW time with systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP). Older adults of younger age (beta = -0.02, p = 0.012) and higher education (beta = 0.52, p = 0.018) were more likely to engage in LTDW, whereas being married was associated with less LTDW (beta = -0.24, p = 0.025). In addition, 2 to 4 hours of LTDW time was associated with lower DBP (beta = -4.13, p = 0.002). For hypertensive older adults, 30 minutes to 2 hours of LTDW time was related to lower DBP (beta = -4.42, p = 0.024). LTDW may have varying benefits on BP. Clinical recommendations should be based on patient characteristics and chronic conditions.