Several controversies do the rounds
regarding average blood pressure levels. At times, physicians find it
quite difficult in deciding an ideal blood pressure range especially
for an adult. For a grown up person, the average blood pressure level
would be between 110/70 and 125/80. If the pressure readings stand at
100/60, then it is said that you have a low blood pressure. Similarly,
if the blood pressure reads 140/90, then it is surely an indication of
high blood pressure. Whether high, average or normal, it is first
necessary to understand the process of blood circulation.
How Does Blood Circulate?
Blood
circulation is a continuous process. However, its movement is not even
throughout the body. It winds its way through a continuous series of
spurts. First, the pressure peaks in a blood vessel following a
heartbeat (when the heart pumps blood) and then slowly falls until the
next heartbeat occurs.
Reasons For Having Different Blood Pressure Levels
People
with normal health and pleasant food habits usually enjoy an average
blood pressure level. In general, changes in the blood pressure level
become quite normal with growing age. Again, studies have established
that people with black skin mostly suffer from high blood pressure or
hypertension while white skinned people usually have a low or average
blood pressure level.
Now you might question as to how
blood pressure levels can vary according to the color of the skin of an
individual. The general opinion is that the difference in levels of
blood pressure is influenced by socio economic and dietary factors. It
has been noticed that countries under the poverty line have a higher
average blood pressure levels. Actually, illiterate and poor people do
not know how to eat well, how to keep them fit and healthy. They are
more prone to bad habits. As a result, they develop blood pressure
problems.
Recent Developments
The
average blood pressure level has not been equal in all countries. This
is essentially because of differences in food habits and life styles.
It has been so that a high level of blood pressure was considered
normal or average in several countries. Of recent, however, average
blood pressure level has dropped in most of the countries around the
world due to a host of significant causes. In countries like Japan,
Belgium and Portugal the blood pressure level of the general populace
has dropped quite astonishingly because of a number of reasons like:
- A reduction in the amount of salt intake
- A change in the style of food preservation
- Quitting several bad habits like smoking and drinking
- Development in methods of refrigeration
- Rapid transportation of fresh foods
- Improved treatment and medication
This change in the scenario has definitely been a new dawning for humankind as a whole.