Thanks to the power of connected devices, Withings is able to provide a national health observatory accessible to the general public. Using real-time data, this tool allows us to track the prevalence of key risk factors linked to lifestyle: sedentary behavior, overweight and obesity, and high blood pressure.
The observatory invites you to discover exclusive data and information gathered from the Withings community. Which American states are most affected by sedentary behaviors or by overweight and obesity? Are all age groups affected? Check out the informative graphs and charts of the Withings Health Observatory to learn more about health behaviors and different lifestyles across the US.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hypertension is the leading cause of death in the world. 51% and 45% of deaths associated with stroke and ischemic heart disease (reduced blood flow to the heart), respectively, can be attributed to hypertension1.
The French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM) adds that hypertension is the most frequently occurring form of cardiovascular disease, affecting approximately 20% of the world's adult population. Despite the scale of the phenomenon, hypertension frequently remains a “silent” epidemic" as a majority of people who have hypertension are unaware not only of its risks, but more importantly unaware that they have it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that about one in five adults in the United States is unaware of having high blood pressure and would not report having it.
Given this context, it is necessary to inform a broader public about this issue, in order to bring about genuine awareness of its existence. To help increase knowledge about this important health issue, Withings has introduced a tool that monitors blood pressure levels of Americans in real time.
Blood pressure is the power or pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of the arteries. It is expressed in two values, the systolic pressure (SBP) and the diastolic pressure (DBP). The first corresponds to the pressure when the heart contracts (systole), pumping blood in the arteries towards the lungs. The second designates the pressure exerted by the flow of blood when the ventricles expand (diastole) in order to collect blood channeled to the atrial chambers by the pulmonary veins and vena cava. Blood pressure is frequently measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).
rterial hypertension (AHT) is characterized by highly elevated blood pressure on arterial walls. This term is used when pressure values reach or exceed: 140 mmHg for systolic pressure and 90 mmHg for the diastolic pressure. For more detailed information on the definitions used, please visit our section on data protection policies and definitions used.
Hypertension constitutes an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In order to help control blood pressure, practicing regularly a physical activity and eating a balanced diet may be combined with medication and other medical treatments.
1. World Health Organization. Global health risks - Mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. 2009.
Hypertension is the leading cause of death in the world. A total of 51% of deaths associated with a stroke and 45% with ischemic heart disease (reduced blood flow to the heart) could be attributed to it1
Physical activity helps fight hypertension: controlled tests showed a reduction of 5 mmHg in systolic pressure for a panel of hypertensive individuals who exercised regularly for a period of at least 8 weeks2
For the majority of people affected, hypertension does not produce any symptoms at all, often earning the name of “silent killer.” In some cases, headaches, shortness of breath, dizziness, heart palpitations, and nosebleeds can appear as symptoms3
There is a phenomenon called the "white coat effect." For 20 to 25% of the population, the mere fact of facing a doctor is enough to cause an increase in blood pressure! Regularly monitoring blood pressure at home between doctor visits is a great way to ensure an accurate account of blood pressure levels4
There are certain lifestyle choices that can increase the risk of developing hypertension. Excessive salt consumption, lack of exercise, alcohol abuse and smoking can all lead to a greater risk of hypertension. Additionally, people who are overweight or obese have an increased likelihood of becoming hypertensive3
1. World Health Organization. Global health risks - Mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. 2009.
2. Dickinson HO et al. Schnohr. Lifestyle interventions to reduce raised blood pressure: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. J Hypertens, 24(2):215-33, 2006.
3. World Health Organization. Basic facts about high blood pressure. 2013.
4. Stergiou GS et al. White coat effect detected using self-monitoring of blood pressure at home: comparison with ambulatory blood pressure. Am J Hypertens, 11(7):820-7, 1998.
Withings guarantees the confidentiality of personal data and protects the privacy of all its users. Our ethical commitments relative to the confidentiality of data are specified in detail in our privacy policy.
All data used by the Withings Health Observatory are permanently anonymized and aggregated, built upon a pool of users having accepted the terms and conditions of use of Withings services.
In order to avoid reidentification of individual data, the data aggregation satisfies a minimum threshold relative to the size of each aggregate: if the number of units in each studied class is inferior to the minimum threshold, the corresponding data is excluded and replaced by "N/A". 0 is displayed as a valid numerical data.
Physical activity level classes used are: Sedentary - number of daily steps < 4000 ; A bit active - 4000 ≤ number of daily steps < 7000 ; Moderately active - 7000 ≤ number of daily steps < 10000 ; Active - number of daily steps ≥ 10000.
BMI (Body Mass Index) classes used are those defined by the World Health Organization: Underweight - BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 ; Normal - 18.5 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m2 ; Overweight - 25 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m2 ; Moderate obesity - 30 ≤ BMI < 35 kg/m2 ; Severe obesity - 40 ≤ BMI < 40 kg/m2 ; Morbid obesity - BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2. Therefore, the prevalence of overweight and obesity corresponds to the percentage of subjects with a BMI greater than or equal to 25 kg/m2.
Blood pressure classes used are those defined by the American Heart Association: Hypotension - systolic pressure < 90 mmHg / diastolic pressure < 60 mmHg ; Normal - 90 ≤ systolic pressure < 120 mmHg / 60 ≤ diastolic pressure < 80 mmHg ; Prehypertension - 120 ≤ systolic pressure < 140 mmHg / 80 ≤ diastolic pressure < 90 mmHg ; Hypertension - systolic pressure ≥ 140 mmHg / diastolic pressure ≥ 90 mmHg.