Blood Press ure of Baka Pygmies Living in Southeastern Cameroon

Abstract

African hunter-gatherers, Baka Pygmies (N = 276, ≥ 17 years of age) from the southeastern part of Cameroon participated in an assessment study of their blood pressure (BP) measurements. For comparison, data from 2 different Japanese populations (H with n = 632, and Y with n = 131 groups) were used. T here were no differences in systolic/diastolic BP in the Baka Pygmies with respect to the sex. A comparison of BP showed that neither systolic nor diastolic BP increased with age in Baka Pygmies, but it increased in the Y group (from 20 to 60 years). The average systolic/diastolic BP in Baka Pygmies (122.8 ± 10.9/71.2 ± 8.6 mmHg) was significantly lower than that of the H and the Y groups (126.1 ± 17.5/80.3 ± 11.3 and 131.6 ± 15.4/78.8 ± 9.9 mmHg, respectively). Most of the systolic and diastolic BP measurements in the H and the Y groups were classified high-normal or Grade 1 hypertension, whereas BP of most Baka Pygmies were classified as normal or optimal. These results revealed that an average BP of approximately 120/70 mmHg did not increase with age in Baka Pygmies living in the rainforest hunting and gathering for their living.