PREVALENCE OF HYPERTENSION AND ITS DETERMINANTS AMONG INDIAN ADULTS: A META-ANALYSIS

Hypertension is a major public health concern in India and a leading risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Despite multiple community-based studies, evidence on its pooled prevalence and associated risk factors remains fragmented. The present study aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of hypertension and identify associated risk factors among the adult Indian population through a systematic review and meta-analysis. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and other electronic databases for studies published between 2020 and 2025. Community and institution-based cross-sectional studies reporting hypertension prevalence among adults (≥18 years) in India were included. A random-effects meta-analysis model was applied to estimate pooled prevalence, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic. A total of 53 studies comprising 45,646 participants from different regions of India were included in the analysis. The pooled prevalence of hypertension was estimated at 31.02% (95% CI: 26.38-35.66). Substantial heterogeneity was observed across studies (I² = 98.76%), reflecting variations in population characteristics, geographic regions, and study settings. Increasing age, male sex, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, high salt intake, overweight and obesity, physical inactivity, family history of hypertension, and co-morbid conditions such as diabetes were consistently identified as significant risk factors. The findings indicate that nearly one-third of the adult population in India is affected by hypertension, highlighting a significant and growing public health burden. Strengthening population-based screening, promoting lifestyle modification, and improving awareness and management of hypertension through primary healthcare services are essential to reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases among adults in India.