A study on non-communicable diseases, it’s prevalence on anthropometric and behavioural risk factors on tribal population of Raigad district: a cross sectional study

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are increasing at an alarming rate due to lifestyle modifications and increased level of stress but the prevalence of it in tribal population is still lacking. Thus, the study aimed at identifying the risk factors for non-communicable diseases among healthy adults aged 16-80 years in the tribal population of Raigad district.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was done with 920 individuals aged 16-80 years of tribal population. Each subject was interviewed using the WHO stepwise questionnaire; where information on diet, physical activity, tobacco and alcohol, and treatment history for hypertension and diabetes were collected along with blood pressure (BP) measurement. Height, weight and waist circumference were also measured.Results: Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 24. Moderate prevalence of smoking and smokeless tobacco was observed in the tribal areas targeted with the number of smokers being more than the users of smokeless tobacco. Consumption of alcohol was seen in half of the population in the age group of 16-50 years. Low consumption of fruits and vegetables was seen across all the age groups. Most of the target population falls under the normal BMI category while a fewer population falls under the overweight category.Conclusions: High prevalence of behavioural risk factors were found with awareness about NCD’s was found to be alarmingly low among the tribal population. Prevention of NCD’s through detection of risk factor can control the spread of non-communicable diseases, and will help in identifying earlier with its detection and treatment same as communicable diseases.

The impact of behavioural risk factors on communicable diseases: a systematic review of reviews

Background The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted that individuals with behavioural risk factors commonly associated with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as smoking, harmful alcohol use, obesity, and physical inactivity, are more likely to experience severe symptoms from COVID-19. These risk factors have been shown to increase the risk of NCDs, but less is known about their broader influence on communicable diseases. Taking a wide focus on a range of common communicable diseases, this review aimed to synthesise research examining the impact of behavioural risk factors commonly associated with NCDs on risks of contracting, or having more severe outcomes from, communicable diseases. Methods Literature searches identified systematic reviews and meta-analyses that examined the association between behavioural risk factors (alcohol, smoking, illicit drug use, physical inactivity, obesity and poor diet) and the contraction/severity of common communicable diseases, including infection or associated pathogens. An a priori, prospectively registered protocol was followed (PROSPERO; registration number CRD42020223890). Results Fifty-three systematic reviews were included, of which 36 were also meta-analyses. Reviews focused on: tuberculosis, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, invasive bacterial diseases, pneumonia, influenza, and COVID-19. Twenty-one reviews examined the association between behavioural risk factors and communicable disease contraction and 35 examined their association with communicable disease outcomes (three examined their association with both contraction and outcomes). Fifty out of 53 reviews (94%) concluded that at least one of the behavioural risk factors studied increased the risk of contracting or experiencing worse health outcomes from a communicable disease. Across all reviews, effect sizes, where calculated, ranged from 0.83 to 8.22. Conclusions Behavioural risk factors play a significant role in the risk of contracting and experiencing more severe outcomes from communicable diseases. Prevention of communicable diseases is likely to be most successful if it involves the prevention of behavioural risk factors commonly associated with NCDs. These findings are important for understanding risks associated with communicable disease, and timely, given the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for improvements in future pandemic preparedness. Addressing behavioural risk factors should be an important part of work to build resilience against any emerging and future epidemics and pandemics.

Transition to retirement impact on health and lifestyle habits: analysis from a nationwide Italian cohort

Background Retirement is a life-course transition likely to affect, through different mechanisms, behavioural risk factors’ patterns and, ultimately, health outcomes. We assessed the impact of transitioning to retirement on lifestyle habits and perceived health status in a nationwide cohort of Italian adults. Methods We analysed data from a large cohort of Italian adults aged 55–70, derived from linking six waves of the Participation, Labour, Unemployment Survey (PLUS), a national survey representative of the Italian workforce population, conducted between 2010 and 2018. We estimated relative-risk ratios (RRR) of transition to retirement and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for selected behavioural risk factors and health outcomes using multivariable logistic regression models. We used propensity score matching (PSM) to account for potential confounders. Results We included 5169 subjects in the study population, of which 1653 retired between 2010 and 2018 (exposed, 32%). Transition to retirement was associated with a 36% increased probability of practising sports (RRR 1.36, 95% CI 1.12–1.64). No statistically significant changes were reported for smoking habit (current smoker RRR: 1.18, 95% CI 0.94–1.46) and BMI (overweight/obese RRR: 0.96, 95% CI 0.81–1.15). Overall, retiring was associated with improved self-rated health status (RRR 1.26, 95% CI 1.02–1.58). Conclusion Individual data-linkage of multiple waves of the PLUS can offer great insight to inform healthy ageing policies in Italy and Europe. Transition to retirement has an independent effect on perceived health status, physical activity and selected behavioural risk factors. It should be identified as a target moment for preventive interventions, with particular reference to primary prevention so as to promote health and wellbeing in older ages.

Cardiovascular Disease Behavioural Risk Factors in Rural Interventions: Cross-Sectional Study.

Aims:This study aims to 1) assess the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) behavioural risk factors in patients who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) 2) identify target risk factor(s) for behaviour modification intervention, and 3) develop an analytical model to define cluster(s) of risk factors which could help make any generic intervention more targeted to the local patient population.Subject and Methods:Study patients with at least one CVD behavioural risk factors living in a rural region. The study used STROBE methodology for cross-sectional studies. Demographic and clinical data of patients (n=2025) were collected at the point of admission for PCI between 04.01.2016 to 31.12.2019. Collected data distributions were analysed by CVD behavioural risk factors for prevalence, associations, and direction of associations. Cluster definition was measured by assignment of a unit score each for overall level of prevalence and significance of associations, and general logistics modelling for direction and significance of risk.Results:The mean (SD) age was 69.47(±10.93) years [95% CI (68.99 - 69.94)]. The key risk factors were hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, and elevated body mass index (BMI). Approximately 40% of the population have multiple risk factor counts of two. Analytical measures revealed a population risk factor cluster with elevated BMI [77.5% (1570/2025)] that is mostly either hyperlipidaemic [9.43%, co-eff. (17), P=.007] or hypertensive [22.72%, co-eff. (17), P=.99] as key risk factor clusters.Conclusion:Carefully modelled analyses revealed clustered behavioural risk associated with elevated BMI. This information would support a strategy for applying targeted clusters in novel interventions to improve implementation efficiency.Conclusion: Risk factors, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and percutaneous coronary intervention.

Risk factors and health status among older adults in Europe: a socioeconomic analysis

The risk of developing a major non-communicable disease is critically affected by lifestyle choices. This study examined the consequences of factors that might predict a change in the self-rated health of older adults and aimed to assess their monetary costs. In particular, two predisposing risk factor moderators were studied: high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The effects of these on two serious adverse cardiovascular events – heart attack and stroke – were estimated. Using data from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) carried out in 2014, a two-stage procedure was applied as well as pairwise comparison. The results revealed the significant role of socioeconomic status in health outcomes. Behavioural risk factors were found to be significant predictors for heart attack and stroke. The findings support the claim that variables such as age, wealth and behavioural risk factors are additional predictors of a change in these two diseases. The monetary consequences can reach up to 12.8 thousand Euros for older adults per unit of predisposing risk factor. Since national health budgets are limited, health policies might be prioritized.

Prevalence and socio-demographic associations of diet and physical activity risk-factors for cardiovascular disease in Bo, Sierra Leone

Background Little is known about modifiable dietary and physical activity risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in Sierra Leone. This information is critical to the development of health improvement interventions to reduce the prevalence of these diseases. This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of dietary and physical activity risk behaviours amongst adults in Bo District, Sierra Leone. Methods Adults aged 40+ were recruited from 10 urban and 30 rural sub-districts in Bo. We examined risk factors including: ≤150 min of moderate or vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) weekly, physical inactivity for ≥3 h daily, ≤5 daily portions of fruit and vegetables, and salt consumption (during cooking, at the table, and in salty snacks). We used logistic regression to investigate the relationship between these outcomes and participants’ socio-demographic characteristics. Results 1978 eligible participants (39.1% urban, 55.6% female) were included in the study. The prevalence of behavioural risk factors was 83.6% for ≤5 daily portions of fruit and vegetables; 41.4 and 91.6% for adding salt at the table or during cooking, respectively and 31.1% for eating salty snacks; 26.1% for MVPA ≤150 min weekly, and 45.6% for being physically inactive ≥3 h daily. Most MVPA was accrued at work (nearly 24 h weekly). Multivariable analysis showed that urban individuals were more likely than rural individuals to consume ≤5 daily portions of fruit and vegetables (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.09, 95% Confidence Interval (1.04–1.15)), add salt at the Table (OR 1.88 (1.82–1.94)), eat salty snacks (OR 2.00 (1.94–2.07)), and do MVPA ≤150 min weekly (OR 1.16 (1.12–1.21)). Male individuals were more likely to add salt at the Table (OR 1.23 (1.20–1.27)) or consume salty snacks (OR 1.35 (1.31–1.40)) than female individuals but were less likely to report the other behavioural risk-factors examined. Generally, people in lower wealth quintiles had lower odds of each risk factor than those in the higher wealth quintiles. Conclusion Dietary risk factors for CVD are highly prevalent, particularly among urban residents, of Bo District, Sierra Leone. Our findings highlight that forthcoming policies in Sierra Leone need to consider modifiable risk factors for CVD in the context of urbanisation.

Multiple behavioural risk factors of non-communicable diseases among adolescents in four Caribbean countries: prevalence and correlates

Objectives The study assessed the prevalence and associated factors of behavioural risk factors of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among adolescents in four Caribbean countries. Content In all 9,143 adolescents (15 years = median age) participated in the cross-sectional “2016 Dominican Republic, 2016 Suriname, 2017 Jamaica, and 2017 Trinidad and Tobago Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS)”. Eight behavioural risk factors of NCDs were assessed by a self-administered questionnaire. Summary Prevalence of each behavioural NCD risk factor was physical inactivity (84.2%), inadequate fruit and vegetable intake (82.2%), leisure-time sedentary behaviour (49.6%), daily ≥2 soft drinks intake (46.8%), ever drunk (28.6%), twice or more days a week fast food consumption (27.6%), having overweight/obesity (27.4%), and current tobacco use (13.8%). Students had on average 3.6 (SD=1.4), and 79.0% had 3–8 behavioural NCD risk factors. In multivariable linear regression, psychological distress and older age increased the odds, and attending school and parental support decreased the odds of multiple behavioural NCD risk factors. Outlook A high prevalence and co-occurrence of behavioural risk factors of NCDs was discovered and several factors independently contributing to multiple behavioural NCD risk factors were identified.