Leisure Time Physical Activity and Incidence of Arterial Hypertension in ELSA-Brasil Participants.

Background: Evidence indicates that physical activity (PA) has a protective effect against chronic diseases, including high arterial hypertension (AH).

Objective: This study investigated, longitudinally, the association between changes in leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and the incidence of hypertension in ELSA-Brasil participants.

Methods: Data from 8,968 participants were analyzed at two different times (2008-2010 and 2012-2014).