Increased SBP remains the leading global risk at Level 3 in the GBD risk hierarchy. Highly effective interventions exist to manage blood pressure at the primary care level, as do a range of public health interventions, so it is quite remarkable that global exposure to increased SBP is increasing. Part of this increase might be tied to the global rise in high BMI, but the increase in SBP represents significant missed opportunity for the world's health systems. In 54 countries high SBP is actually declining, while its increase in China is now well documented in a series of population-based surveys.25, 26, 27 Tackling rising SBP is a global concern, but this is particularly important in those locations where rates are increasing. In view of the effect of the risk and the large array of available, effective interventions, health systems and the global health community need to mobilise increased resources and policy attention to tackle this problem. It might be necessary to design a variety of public policies including food reformulation to reduce sodium content and efforts to incentivise primary care providers to give priority to the management of SBP.28, 29, 30
