Using the INDEPTH HDSS to build capacity for chronic non-communicable disease risk factor surveillance in low and middle-income countries.

Background: Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and disability worldwide. More than 80% of chronic disease deaths occur in low-income and middle-income countries. Epidemiological data on the burden of chronic NCD and the risk factors which predict them are lacking in most low-income countries.

Prevalence of physical inactivity in nine rural INDEPTH Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems in five Asian countries.

Background: Physical inactivity leads to higher morbidity and mortality from chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as stroke and heart disease. In high income countries, studies have measured the population level of physical activity, but comparable data are lacking from most low and middle-income countries.

Objective: To assess the level of physical inactivity and its associated factors in selected rural sites in five Asian countries.

Clustering of chronic non-communicable disease risk factors among selected Asian populations: levels and determinants.

Background: The major chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) operate through a cluster of common risk factors, whose presence or absence determines not only the occurrence and severity of the disease, but also informs treatment approaches. Primary prevention based on mitigation of these common risk factors through population-based programmes is the most cost-effective approach to contain the emerging epidemic of chronic NCDs.

Objectives: This study was conducted to explore the extent of risk factors clustering for the major chronic NCDs and its determinants in nine INDEPTH Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) sites of five Asian countries.

Fruit and vegetable consumption in rural adults population in INDEPTH HDSS sites in Asia.

Background: Low fruit and vegetable consumption is among the top 10 risk factors contributing to mortality worldwide. WHO/FAO recommends intake of a minimum of 400 grams (or five servings) of fruits and vegetables per day for the prevention of chronic diseases such as heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, and obesity.

Objective: This paper examines the fruit and vegetable consumption patterns and the prevalence of inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption (less than five servings a day) among the adult population in rural surveillance sites in five Asian countries.

Social factors and overweight: evidence from nine Asian INDEPTH Network sites.

Background: Overweight/obesity increases the risk of morbidity and mortality from a number of chronic conditions, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers. This study examined the distribution of body mass index (BMI) in nine Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) sites in five Asian countries and investigated the association between social factors and overweight.

Data And Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in nine HDSS sites in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Self-reported use of tobacco products in nine rural INDEPTH Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems in Asia.

Background: Tobacco use is the most preventable cause of premature death and disability. Even though tobacco use is common in many Asian countries, reliable and comparable data on the burden imposed by tobacco use in this region are sparse, and surveillance systems to track trends are in their infancy.

Objective: To assess and compare the prevalence of tobacco use and its associated factors in nine selected rural sites in five Asian countries.

Blood pressure in adult rural INDEPTH population in Asia.

Introduction: High blood pressure (BP) is a well-known major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and is a leading contributor to cardiovascular mortality and morbidity worldwide. Reliable population-based BP data from low-middle income countries are sparse.

Objective: This paper reports BP distributions among adults in nine rural populations in five Asian countries and examines the association between high BP and associated risk factors, including gender, age, education, and body mass index.

Patterns of alcohol consumption in diverse rural populations in the Asian region.

Background: Alcohol abuse, together with tobacco use, is a major determinant of health and social well-being, and is one of the most important of 26 risk factors comparatively assessed in low and middle income countries, surpassed only by high blood pressure and tobacco.

Objectives: The alcohol consumption patterns and the associations between consumption of alcohol and socio-demographic and cultural factors have been investigated in nine rural Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) located in five Asian countries.

Methods: The information was collected from multiple study sites, with sample sizes of sufficient size to measure trends in age and sex groups over time.

Self-reported prevalence of chronic diseases and their relation to selected sociodemographic variables: a study in INDEPTH Asian sites, 2005.

Introduction: Lack of reliable population-based data, especially morbidity data, is a barrier to preventing and controlling chronic diseases in developing countries. We report the self-reported prevalences of major chronic diseases in Southeast Asia and examine their relation to selected sociodemographic variables in adults.

Methods: Data are from a 2005 cross-site study of 8 sites in 5 Asian countries that surveyed 18,484 people aged 25-64 years.