Aim To explore the effects of dietary and other relative factors on essential hypertension and to find risky factors of it. Methods A total of 154 residents aged over 35 taking part in healthy physical examination in Zhengzhou city of Henan Province were selected. Questionnaires on nutrient status and health condition, blood pressure and other relative indexes were conducted. Firstly one sample t-test, group t-test for independent samples, chi-square test and then forward selection of logistic regression for two dependent variables were used to analysis the data by means of SAS6. 12 statistical software, respectively from gender, age, physical labour level, family history, body mass index, waist circumference, life habits, lipemia, blood glucose, food and nutrients intakes. Results Chi-square test and t-test find that drinking and intakes of excessive energy can both increase the prevalence rate of essential hypertension (p<0.05). Of those which enter logistic regression model, family history, waist circumference, body mass index, blood triglyceride and dietary fat are all the risky factors of essential hypertension, their Odds Rates are as follows by order: 1.9770, 1.0810, 1.1670, 1.5170, 1.6080; fresh vegetable is a protective factor of essential hypertension, its OR is 0.0080. This investigation also indicates that inadequate intakes of grain, vegetable and fruit and excessive intakes of meat, egg, oil and salt may increase the hypertensive prevalence rate of this investigated population. Conclusion Dietary and life style is as important as hereditary to the occurrence of essential hypertension.