title: Chronic disease risk factors in rural Australia: results from the Greater Green Triangle risk factor surveys.
abstract: The aim of this article was to assess the level and prevalence of major chronic disease risk factors among rural adults. Two cross-sectional surveys were carried out in 2004 and 2005 in the southeast of South Australia and the southwest of Victoria. Altogether 891 randomly selected persons aged 25 to 74 years participated in the studies. Surveys included a self-administered questionnaire, physical measurements, and a venous blood specimen for lipid analyses. Two thirds of participants had cholesterol levels>or=5.0 mmol/L. The prevalence of high diastolic blood pressure (>or=90 mm Hg) was 22% for men and 10% for women in southeast of South Australia, and less than 10% for both sexes in southwest of Victoria. Two thirds of participants were overweight or obese (body mass index>or=25 kg/m2). About 15% of men and slightly less women were daily smokers. The abnormal risk factor levels underline the need for targeted prevention activities in the Greater Green Triangle region. Continuing surveillance of levels and patterns of risk factors is fundamentally important for planning and evaluating preventive activities.
authors.affiliation: National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland. tiina.laatikainen@ktl.fi
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laatikainen
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Janus
authors.forename: Annamari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kilkkinen
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heistaro
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tideman
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baird
authors.forename: Rosy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tirimacco
authors.forename: Malcolm
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Whiting
authors.forename: Lucinola
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franklin
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kao-Philpot
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dunbar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology