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Life sciences · Journal article
Cureus · October 20, 2026
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BackgroundPrehypertension is a clinically important condition that precedes hypertension and substantially increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.Sedentary lifestyle behaviours, characterised by prolonged sitting and inadequate physical activity, have become increasingly common among young adults due to technological advancements, occupational demands, and lifestyle modifications.Early identification of prehypertension and its association with sedentary lifestyle indicators is essential for implementing preventive interventions before progression to established hypertension. ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine the prevalence of prehypertension among adults aged 18-40 years and to evaluate its association with sedentary lifestyle indicators and physical activity levels.The study also examined the relationship of body mass index (BMI) and gender with blood pressure category. MethodsA cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 100 adults aged 18-40 years in Karad, Maharashtra, India, using convenience sampling.Blood pressure was measured using a standardised sphygmomanometer following recommended guidelines.Sedentary behaviour and physical activity were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and physical activity levels were calculated in Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET)-minutes/week.Anthropometric measurements including height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) were also recorded.Data were analysed using GraphPad InStat (La Jolla, CA, USA), with the chi-square test, independent samples t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test used for inferential analysis, and a p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. ResultsPrehypertension was present in 48 (48%) of the 100 participants.It was significantly more frequent among men than women (37 of 65 (56.9%)versus 11 of 35 (31.4%),P = 0.015) and among overweight and obese participants than among those with normal BMI (P = 0.009), and mean BMI was higher in prehypertensive participants (25.60 ± 2.51 kg/m²) than in those with normal blood pressure (23.93 ± 2.78 kg/m²) (P = 0.002).Prehypertension was observed in 17 (68.0%) of 25 participants with low physical activity, 25 (43.1%) of 58 with moderate physical activity, and six (35.3%) of 17 with high physical activity, a trend that did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.059).On multivariable logistic regression adjusting for age, gender, BMI, and physical activity, BMI remained an independent predictor of prehypertension (adjusted OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.05-1.48,P = 0.013), whereas gender and physical activity were not independently associated with prehypertension after adjustment. ConclusionPrehypertension was highly prevalent among young adults and was significantly associated with higher BMI, which remained an independent predictor after adjustment for age, gender, and physical activity, while male gender and lower physical activity were not independently associated with prehypertension after adjustment for BMI.Regular physical activity, reduction in prolonged sitting time, and early lifestyle modification strategies may help prevent progression to hypertension and reduce future cardiovascular risk.Communitybased screening and health education programmes should be encouraged for early detection and prevention.