• Bai Cham, Shaun Scholes, Nora E Groce, Omar Badjie, and Jennifer S Mindell.
• Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL (University College London), London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom; Department of Public Health, University of The Gambia, Brikama Campus, P.O.Box, 3530, Serrekunda, The Gambia; Disease Control and Elimination theme, Medical Research Council Unit, The Gambia, at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Road, Fajara, P.O.Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia. Electronic address: bacham@mrc.gm.
• Prev Med. 2020 Dec 1; 141: 106300.

AbstractNon-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally. Co-occurrence of risk factors predisposes an individual to NCDs; the burden increases cumulatively with the number of risk factors. Our study aimed to examine the co-occurrence of NCD risk factors among adults in The Gambia. This study is based on a random nationally representative sample of 4111 adults aged 25-64 years (78% response rate) with data collected between January and March 2010 in The Gambia using the WHO STEPwise survey methods. We restricted our analysis to non-pregnant participants with valid information on five NCD risk factors: high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, low fruit and vegetable consumption, and physical inactivity (n = 3000 adults with complete data on all risk factors). We conducted age-adjusted and fully-adjusted gender stratified multinomial logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with the number of NCD risk factors. More than 90% of adults had at least one risk factor. Only 7% (95% CI: 5.2-9.8) had no risk factor; 22% (95% CI: 19.1-24.9) had at least three. Older age and ethnicity were significantly associated with having three or more risk factors (versus none) among men in the fully adjusted model. Lower education, older age, and urban residence were significantly associated with three or more risk factors (versus none) among women. The burden of NCDs is expected to increase in The Gambia if preventive and control measures are not taken. There should be an integrated approach targeting all risk factors, including wider treatment and control of hypertension.Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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