Wright et al. (NHANES 2001-2008)
About this reference
This report from the National Center for Health Statistics presents blood pressure percentiles derived from four cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2001-2008). Blood pressure was measured by trained examiners following a standardized protocol: participants sat quietly for 5 minutes, then up to 3 consecutive readings were taken with a mercury sphygmomanometer and averaged. The resulting percentile tables cover systolic and diastolic blood pressure by age decade and sex for the civilian, non-institutionalized US population.
Known limitations
- US-only sample; age-standardized mean systolic BP in the US is above the global median, and hypertension prevalence varies widely by country (NCD Risk Factor Collaboration, Lancet 2021), so the upper percentiles may not generalize to all populations
- Data collected 2001-2008; US blood pressure trends may have shifted since then due to changes in obesity, medication use, and diet
- Excludes institutionalized populations (e.g. nursing homes), which may underrepresent the oldest age groups
- Up to 3 measurements averaged per person, which may slightly underestimate single-reading variability