The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in nutrient intake between normotensive workers and hypertensive workers to obtain basic data for developing a program of effective hypertension care at work.

The subjects were 338 male workers. We measured physical data by medical examination and collected lifestyle data by questionnaire survey. Dietary intakes were collected using a food frequency questionnaire. We classified the subjects into normal, prehypertension, and hypertension groups, and compared the results of age, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), lifestyles and energy nutrients and lipids intake.

There were significant differences in both weight and BMI between the hypertension group and the other two groups (p<0.05). The smoking levels of the prehypertension group and hypertension group were significantly higher than that of the normal group (p<0.05). The three groups also showed significant differences in drinking amount (p<0.05). There were significant differences in carbohydrate and protein intakes and the ratio of carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake (p<0.05).

In this study, there was a significant difference in carbohydrate intake between normotensive and hypertensive workers, and the intake of energy nutrients and fatty acids in the prehypertension group and hypertension groups was unbalanced. Therefore, early diagnosis of workers with hypertension and prehypertension is necessary to improve lifestyles particularly food habit.