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ABSTRACT Hypertension is an important public health challenge in both economically developing and developed countries Measures are required at a population level to prevent the development of hypertension and to improve awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in the community. Recent studies among Indians have shown a high prevalence of hypertension in both urban and rural areas. The effects of B.M.I B.S.A. and W.H.R. on the S.B.P., D.B.P. and M.A.P. have been proved in the present study in both urban and rural populations in both sexes in the age group of 20 -60 years. Increased incidence of silent hypertension in the urban males and females compared to rural males and females can be noticed from the present study. Keywords INTRODUCTION Ancient sages knew historically high BP as a clinical problem. The practitioners of modern medicine in the mid twentieth century are also aware of its importance. Dyer et al., (1999) found the predictors of high normal blood pressure to be BMI, waist circumference (WC), physical activity, alcohol, pulse rate, smoking, education, fasting insulin, triglycerides, uric acid, HDL cholesterol as well as age and SBP. Whelton et al., (2002) recommended lifestyle modifications for primary prevention of hypertension which included maintenance of normal body weight for adults (BMI 18.5 -24.9 Kg/M2), reduced dietary sodium intake to less than 6 gms/day, physical exercise (at least 30 minutes/day), limited alcohol consumption, adequate intake of dietary potassium more than 3.5 gms / day and consumption of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and dairy products with a reduced content of saturated and total fat. Folkow et al., (1993) explained the effects of aging on the vascular system. Generalized age changes may interfere with the functioning of various vascular components to different degrees. Many of these functional changes that have been identified in the vascular system can be linked to altered structural, biochemical and molecular mechanisms. Sokolow and Harris (1961) described the relationship of blood pressure to age. The decreased elasticity of the aorta and its distensibility with decreased baroreceptor response may account for transient rises in BP in older persons. Ziegler et al., (1976) found a gradual increase in plasma levels of noradrenaline with age in resting subjects and greater increase to uniform stress. This is due to increased secretion of noradrenaline or decreased catabolism or reuptake of secreted nor adrenaline in older subjects. Pan et al., (1986) reported that in modern industrialized societies aging is often associated with weight gain, which contributes to higher blood pressure in elderly, contradicted by findings in several preliterate societies where blood pressure does not increase with age. Cohen and Flamenbaum (1986) found that changes in weight correlated with changes in BP, suggesting that larger weight losses are associated with larger BP reductions. They also commented that moderate reductions necessary to achieve significant BP decrements are easier to attain and maintain than the weight losses necessary to achieve ideal body weight. Baumgartner et al., (1987) found a positive association of centripetal fat pattern indexed by WHR with SBP in men. Kaufman et al., (1997) observed a threshold at 21 Kg/M2 in the relationship of BMI with BP for women but not for men, suggesting that there exists a relationship between the two even in the lean population