Lifestyle behaviors associated with hypertension among older adults: A cross-sectional study

Silvya Firdawati (Magister Keperawatan Universitas Prima Nusantara Bukittinggi)
Junios Junios (Magister Keperawatan Universitas Prima Nusantara Bukittinggi)
Dwi Apriadi (Magister Keperawatan Universitas Prima Nusantara Bukittinggi)
Fauzi Budi Satria (Magister Keperawatan Universitas Prima Nusantara Bukittinggi)
Erian Fatria (Magister Keperawatan Universitas Prima Nusantara Bukittinggi)
Asrul Fahmi (Magister Keperawatan Universitas Prima Nusantara Bukittinggi)

Lentera Perawat
Vol. 7 No. 4 (2026): October - December

Background: Hypertension is common in later life, while locally specific evidence on modifiable dietary and smoking behaviors among older adults in primary-care settings remains limited. Identifying lifestyle factors associated with hypertension can support targeted assessment and counseling in community and gerontological nursing. Objective: To examine the associations of fatty-diet adherence, high-sodium-diet adherence, and smoking habits with hypertension status among older adults in the working area of Puskesmas Sungai Durian, Sawahlunto. Methods: An analytic cross-sectional study was conducted at Puskesmas Sungai Durian, Sawahlunto, from August to September 2025. A total of 308 older adults were purposively selected from a source population of 1,345. Dietary behaviors were assessed using a 24-item hypertension diet-adherence questionnaire based on DASH principles, smoking was assessed using a five-item questionnaire, and blood pressure was measured twice at a five-minute interval. Associations were examined using chi-square tests and binary logistic regression with the three lifestyle variables entered simultaneously. Results: Hypertension was recorded in 162 of 308 participants (52.6%). Fatty-diet nonadherence (p < 0.001), high-sodium-diet nonadherence (p = 0.011), and smoking habits (p = 0.031) were associated with hypertension in bivariate analyses. In the multivariable model, fatty-diet nonadherence was associated with higher odds of hypertension (OR = 2.675; 95% CI 1.614–4.432; p < 0.001), and the smoking term remained statistically significant (OR = 1.665; 95% CI 1.120–2.475; p = 0.012). High-sodium-diet nonadherence was not statistically significant after mutual adjustment (OR = 1.279; 95% CI 0.786–2.082; p = 0.322). Conclusion: Among older adults in this primary-care population, fatty-diet nonadherence and smoking were associated with hypertension after mutual adjustment of the three lifestyle variables, whereas high-sodium-diet nonadherence was associated only in bivariate analysis. Because of the cross-sectional design, these findings indicate associations rather than causal effects and can inform risk assessment and lifestyle counseling in community-based care.