Risk Factors for Non-communicable Disease: A Population Based Study in Mashhad (Iran)

Aims: Non-communicable disease currently accounts for 55% of the global disease burden, and is predicted to make up 73% of all causes of death by 2020. There have been few studies into chronic diseases in developing countries. Considering the priorities for health care systems (prevention and control of non-communicable diseases), this study aimed to compare the risk factors for chronic disease for males and females in a metropolitan area of Iran.
Study Design: A cross-sectional study.
Location and Duration of Study: This cross-sectional study was carried out in 2007 in Mashhad (Iran) as a part of a national survey to assess the risk factors for non-communicable diseases.
Methodology: One thousand participants aged between 17 and 67 years were included and a standardized national questionnaire about each participant was completed. Height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure and blood biochemical factors were measured. Informed consent was obtained from all participants. Chi-square tests, T-tests and Mann–Whitney U-tests were used for statistical analysis; p<0.05 was considered as statistically significant. SPSS version 11.5 was used for statistical analysis.
Results: Half of the participants were male; 46.4% lived in rural areas; 36% were housewives; and 0.04% were unemployed. BMI, smoking, waist circumference and physical activity were statistically different between the two genders (in all cases p<0.001). HDL was the only difference between men and women in terms of their lipid profiles (p<0.001). The most important risk factors for chronic diseases were high BMI, waist circumference and low levels of HDL-cholesterol in women; in men, smoking was the most significant risk factor. Systolic and diastolic hypertension and hypercholesterolemia were important risk factors for both genders.
Conclusion: The risk factors for chronic diseases were different for the two genders and each will need different approaches to control these risk factors.