Abstract
Aim: The purpose of the study was to estimate the prevalence of selected modifiable risk factors of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, fruits and vegetables consumption, overweight and obesity, hypertension, diabetes and abnormal lipid profiles, and to investigate the association between hypercholesterolemia with selected socio-demographic factors and selected NCD risk factors among 25-74 year old citizens of urban area of Yangon Region, Myanmar. Materials and Methods: A household based cross sectional study conducted in urban area of Yangon region, Myanmar with multi-stage cluster sampling of 758 participants who were 25-74 years old. The methodology was adapted to the WHO STEPwise approach to chronic disease risk factor surveillance. In STEP (1), socio-demographic characteristics and NCD risk factors were undertaken by questionnaire. In STEP (2) physical anthropometric measurements and blood pressure were measured, and in STEP (3), fasting lipid profiles and blood glucose were investigated. Result: The main findings of the present study was high prevalence of NCDs risk factors, low intake of fruits and vegetables consumption (82.3%), overweight (44%), hypertension (48.2%), diabetes (18%), and based on Framingham risk scores, 33.2% of males and 22.2% of females had a moderate to high risk of developing CHD the next 10 years. Furthermore, an alarming high prevalence of hypercholesterolemia of 56.6% was reported. In multivariable analysis, high age, low education, low income and tobacco use were associated with hypercholesterolemia. 32 % of the total respondents lived with three or more risk factors of NCDs among the study population. Conclusion: The present study shows that the prevalences of NCD risk factors in the urban population of the Yangon region are generally high. Compared with a previous study from the same area conducted in 2003, the prevalences of the risk factors seem to be on rise. These were gender differences with high prevalence in males than females for smoking, current alcohol drinking, and hypercholesterolemia, and lower prevalence for males regarding overweight and obesity. Almost all adult urban citizens of Yangon have more than one the risk factors present, and one third has 3-5 risk factors present. Based on the Framingham risk estimates, more that one-fourth of the population have moderate to high risk of developing CHD within the next 10 years. The present study indicates social inequity in the occurrence of hypercholesterolemia which is higher among those with low income and education. An increasing trend in NCD risk factors will lead to increase in NCDs. This will put an enormous pressure on the Myanmar health system, and prevention strategies should be given high priority.