You may have heard about the new guidelines released by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, which lower the definition of high blood pressure to account for complications that can occur at lower numbers.

Blood pressure categories in the new guidelines are:                 

• Normal: Less than 120/80 mm Hg
• Elevated: Systolic between 120-129 and diastolic less than 80
• Stage 1: Systolic between 130-139 or diastolic between 80-89
• Stage 2: Systolic at least 140 or diastolic at least 90 mm Hg
• Hypertensive crisis: Systolic over 180 and/or diastolic over 120 – action needed!

About three out of 10 Americans currently have high blood pressure, and it’s more common among older adults, African Americans, and those with diabetes or obesity, lower incomes, or disabilities. 

With the new guidelines, it’s likely that more people will be identified as having hypertension, especially in the under-45 age group. However, this doesn’t have to mean more people will be taking medication. The recommendation for people with blood pressures in the Elevated or Stage 1 categories is to focus on lifestyle changes to improve their blood pressure (as long as they don’t have other risk factors such as diabetes or heart disease). These lifestyle factors are listed below, alongside ideas for how workplace actions can support them:

Move more

Make activity during the workday possible

• Create guidelines for physical activity during meetings:

- Walk and talk meeting (for 2 or 3 people)

- Standing meetings (limit to 15 minutes)

- Sit for 60 minutes, stand for 3 minutes (for meetings lasting longer than one hour, offer activity breaks at the midpoint)

• Install standing or treadmill desks
• Install and promote bike racks for employees 

Eat well

Work with vending, cafeteria, or catering to provide healthy options

• Offer healthy options at all company events or meetings where food is offered
• Establish a worksite food policy
• Review this checklist for worksite action for other ways to make healthy changes

Decrease sodium intake

Remove salt shakers from cafeterias and provide low-salt options in vending machines

Review resources on healthy vending, such as the American Heart Association Food and Beverage Toolkit (free registration required) or the HealthPartners YumPower toolkit

Maintain a healthy weight

Provide a weigh station for people to track their weight, or offer onsite support groups

• Start TOPS or Weight Watchers at Work in your workplace
• Offer “The Frosty Challenge” in your workplace next winter (look in the Worksites drawer on the Web site)

Avoid tobacco products

Provide a tobacco-free workplace (including grounds and vehicles) and support for quitting tobacco 

• Post visible signage restricting use of tobacco products—organizations in Hennepin County can order smoke-free signs for no charge (click on the Restrictions Countywide tab)
• Check out this worksite tobacco-free toolkit
• Promote your health plan’s tobacco cessation services or QUITPLAN

Limit alcohol intake

Create a workplace alcohol policy 

Limit alcohol at company sponsored events and establish an alcohol policy for your workplace

Monitor stress

Research ideas for reducing stress in the workplace

•         Check out this HR Council HR Toolkit for ideas
•         Offer flexible work schedules
•         Provide an onsite relaxation/quiet room for employees

Back to top

Click here to read this month's E-tips titled "DASH to good health." 

To share these E-tips with employees:  

• Email the E-tips document to your staff as an attachment. 1) Click the link to download and save the E-tips to your computer. 2) Add your organization's logo in the bottom left corner. 3) Then send it as an email attachment to staff. 
• Or print the document once you've added your organization's logo and post it in a common area in your workplace.
• Or copy and paste the text into your organization's newsletter.

Back to top