Association Between Health-Promoting Lifestyle Practices and Blood Pressure Control Among Adult Hypertensive Patients Attending a Primary Care Clinic in South-South, Nigeria

Background: Health-promoting lifestyle (HPL) behaviours play a crucial role in the prevention and management of chronic diseases such as hypertension. Although these associations have been extensively documented globally, evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa remains limited. This study investigated the association between health-promoting lifestyle practices and blood pressure (BP) control among hypertensive patients attending a tertiary health centre in South-South, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 272 hypertensive patients selected through systematic sampling. A structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic information, while a validated short form of Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP) II was adapted to assess five lifestyle domains. Blood pressure measurements were obtained using standard procedures, and BP <140/90 mmHg was classified as controlled. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine associations, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results: Poor nutrition (OR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.3–4.1), poor health responsibility (OR = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.9–5.2), inadequate physical activity (OR = 7.1, 95% CI: 0.8–61.5), and low social engagement (OR = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.1–4.9) were significantly associated with uncontrolled blood pressure. Overall, 61.7% of participants with poor HPL practices had uncontrolled BP, compared to only 5.3% of those with good HPL practices. Conclusion: Suboptimal health-promoting lifestyle practices are strongly associated with poor blood pressure control. Incorporating structured lifestyle modification interventions into routine hypertension management could substantially improve clinical outcomes and enhance patient quality of life.