Dietary variety is a protective factor for elevated systolic blood pressure.

Background: Diet directly influences systemic arterial hypertension (SAH), which is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Objective: To associate hypertension with dietary factors in adults clinically selected for a change-of-lifestyle program.

Methods: Cross-sectional study comprising 335 individuals, aged between 44 and 65 years, clinically selected for a change-of-lifestyle program.