Simultaneity of risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases in a rural population of a Southern Brazilian city.

Objectives: To describe the occurrence of simultaneous risk factors for chronic noncommunicable diseases, and factors associated with these prevalences in rural adults of a Southern Brazilian city.

Methods: The design of this study was cross-sectional with a sample of 1,445 adults from the rural area of Pelotas, RS. Four risk factors were considered: smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and inadequate consumption of vegetables. To verify the simultaneous occurrence of the outcomes, a cluster analysis was used. The association was tested by ordinal regression resulting in odds ratios.

Results: Among the four risk factors evaluated, three were the most prevalent among men, and only physical inactivity was greater among women. In the cluster analysis, only the combination of alcohol consumption + smoking + inadequate vegetable consumption presented an observed prevalence that was significantly higher than the expected (O/E = 2.67, 95%CI 1.30, 5.48), and higher than another study in the south of the country. This can be justified because that study included an evaluation of urban dwellers and the consumption of fruits. After adjustment, men, single individuals, non-white people, those with less schooling, those with a worse socioeconomic status, those who reported poor perception of health, and those who do not work in specifically rural activities had a greater probability of having the simultaneity of risk factors.

Conclusion: The results show the importance of developing priority actions regarding the health of rural populations with special attention to the subgroups with an identified higher risk.