Diastolic Blood Pressure: NHANES Published Percentiles
FitnessNorms reproduces the total-population diastolic estimates in Tables 12 and 13 of NCHS Report 35. The displayed P5, P25, P50, P75, and P95 values are published survey estimates for 19,921 US adults, not interpolated decade values.
- Age groups: 18-39, 40-59, and 60+ are retained exactly as published.
- Population: the total columns combine normotensive adults, adults with untreated hypertension, and adults with treated hypertension.
- Measurement: physicians measured blood pressure in the NHANES examination; the report used the mean of up to three measurements and states that the protocol followed contemporary American Heart Association recommendations.
- Weighting: estimates account for the NHANES sample design, nonresponse, and population weighting described in the report.
For the trend chart only, the three broad groups are placed at ages 29, 50, and 70 as display anchors. These coordinates are not weighted mean ages and must not be read as values specifically for those exact ages. Because the source publishes no narrower older groups, FitnessNorms does not infer them.
These historical US population percentiles are not blood-pressure targets or guideline categories. Current clinical interpretation requires both systolic and diastolic readings, standardized repeated measurement, and individual context. Full source details are on the reference page.