most black adults have High blood Pressure before age 55 Approximately 75% of black men and women are likely to develop high blood pressure (BP) by the age of 55, compared to 55% of white men and 40% of white women in the same age range, according to new research published July 11, 2018 in Journal of the American Heart Association. Higher body weight was associated with an increased risk for high BP, regardless of race or gender, and those who adhered to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-style diet, both blacks and whites, were at lower risk for hypertension.