A new study showed that older adults who do regular volunteer work are less likely to suffer from hypertension.
The study, conducted by Carnegie Mellon University, found mature adults who volunteer at least 200 hours per year decrease their risk of hypertension, or high-blood pressure, by 40 percent.
The study, published in the American Psychological Association's Psychology and Aging journal, suggested volunteer work as a substitute for hypertension medication.
The researchers looked at 1,164 people between the ages of 51 and 91 from around the U.S. The participants were interviewed once in 2006, and then again in 2010. All of the subjects had normal blood pressure at the time of the first interview. At both meetings "Volunteerism, various social and psychological factors, and blood pressure," were recorded the study said.
The study found 40 percent of the participants who reported they took part in at least 200 hours of community service a year at the first interview struggled with hypertension. The type of volunteer work was not factored in, only the amount of time spent.
"Everyday, we are learning more about how negative lifestyle factors like poor diet and lack of exercise increase hypertension risk," said Rodlescia S. Sneed, a psychology Ph.D. candidate in CMU's Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences who led the study. "Here, we wanted to determine if a positive lifestyle factor like volunteer work could actually reduce disease risk. And, the results give older adults an example of something that they can actively do to remain healthy and age successfully."
Hypertension affects about 65 million people in the U.S. and is a contributor to cardiovascular disease which is the leading cause of death in America.
"As people get older, social transitions like retirement, bereavement and the departure of children from the home often leave older adults with fewer natural opportunities for social interaction," Sneed said. "Participating in volunteer activities may provide older adults with social connections that they might not have otherwise. There is strong evidence that having good social connections promotes healthy aging and reduces risk for a number of negative health outcomes."
