Overview

• Hypertension remains widespread in Germany, especially among adults over 60, and often goes unnoticed, which drives calls for routine checks and home monitoring with inexpensive devices.
• An intensive lifestyle program with diet counseling, weight loss and frequent exercise lowered average systolic pressure by 7.1 mmHg over four months, according to research highlighted from the European cardiology meeting.
• Large salt reductions can bring rapid drops in blood pressure, particularly in difficult cases, yet most dietary salt is hidden in processed and canteen foods, making home cooking a practical strategy.
• Sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to higher blood pressure in prospective studies and meta-analyses, with WHO advising no more than 25 grams of free sugar per day and German guidance keeping sugar under 10% of energy.
• Experts recommend DASH-style eating with plenty of vegetables and other potassium-rich foods, while the BfR warns that glycyrrhizin in licorice can raise blood pressure and should be limited to about 100 milligrams per day.