Healthy lifestyle choices lower risk of high blood pressure

July 21, 2009 5:28:14 PM PDT

A new study suggests that making the right lifestyle choices can lower a person's risk of developing high blood pressure by as much as 80 percent.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital offer these six tips:

Keep a normal body weight

Exercise

Eat a healthy diet

Avoid drinking too much alcohol

Avoid over-the-counter pain relievers

Take regular folic acid supplements

The study found of these six lifestyle factors, the most critical is maintaining a healthy weight.

More information can be found in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association.

Healthy lifestyle choices even more important