Prevalence of Behavioral Risk Factors of Noncommunicable Diseases in a Rural Population of Bangladesh

Abstract

Behavioral risk factors reduction is a key to Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) control. This survey on NCD risk factors was done in randomly selected cross-sectional sample of 443 rural individuals aged 15 years or older. More than three in ten people used tobacco in some form, and more than nine in ten used extra salt while taking meal. All of them had low fruit and vegetables intake (<5 gm/day). About four and one percent were taking medicines for hypertension and diabetes, respectively. In conclusion, prevalence of tobacco and added salt consumption is fairly high in this rural Bangladeshi sample. Local level health infrastructure and health workers should be used to control these risk factors in rural communities.