A Fellow in Public Health at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Kwame Sarpong Asiedu, has urged Ghanaians to make regular blood pressure checks a priority, saying lifestyle changes alone may not be enough to prevent hypertension in people who are genetically predisposed to the condition.

Speaking on the Joy FM Super Morning Show on Thursday, September 10, during a discussion on hypertension, Mr Asiedu said exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and reducing salt intake were important, but should not replace regular screening.

Mr Asiedu said the public conversation around hypertension often places too much emphasis on lifestyle changes while failing to encourage people to find out their actual blood pressure levels.

“The point is about screening. It is not about lifestyle,” he said.

He warned that simply encouraging people to exercise without ensuring that they know their blood pressure status could create a false sense of security.

“If you get people to think, oh, you can go to the gym. They don't know their simple numbers. That is a huge risk,” he said.

For Mr Asiedu, the most important step is knowing one's blood pressure numbers through regular checks.

“So for me, what is the key thing to do is to screen regularly,” he said.

He said people should not wait until they feel unwell before checking their blood pressure because hypertension can exist without obvious symptoms.

To encourage others to take screening seriously, Mr Asiedu said he regularly shares his own blood pressure readings publicly.

Mr Asiedu said genetic factors could make some people more susceptible to hypertension and other chronic conditions.

“Blacks, by our hormonal makeup and genetics, are predisposed to hypertension,” he said.

He also pointed to other conditions which he said people may be genetically predisposed to.

“There are two things that blacks generally are predisposed to, but we don't talk about them. Glaucoma, hypertension, diabetes, and it is genetic,” he said.

Despite these risks, Mr Asiedu said that there are practical steps people can take to reduce their risk of developing high blood pressure or help manage the condition.

“Yes, you can do things about exercise, you can do things about your weight, you can do things about your diet, your salt intake, and all that,” he said.

However, he cautioned that lifestyle changes may not completely control blood pressure in people with a strong predisposition to the condition.

“But if you are predisposed, that in itself would not control the blood pressure because of your predisposition,” he said.