title: Sociodemographic patterning of non-communicable disease risk factors in rural India: a cross sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the sociodemographic patterning of non-communicable disease risk factors in rural India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  About 1600 villages from 18 states in India. Most were from four large states due to a convenience sampling strategy.
  
  
  METHODS
  1983 (31% women) people aged 20-69 years (49% response rate).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prevalence of tobacco use, alcohol use, low fruit and vegetable intake, low physical activity, obesity, central adiposity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, and underweight.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of most risk factors increased with age. Tobacco and alcohol use, low intake of fruit and vegetables, and underweight were more common in lower socioeconomic positions; whereas obesity, dyslipidaemia, and diabetes (men only) and hypertension (women only) were more prevalent in higher socioeconomic positions. For example, 37% (95% CI 30% to 44%) of men smoked tobacco in the lowest socioeconomic group compared with 15% (12% to 17%) in the highest, while 35% (30% to 40%) of women in the highest socioeconomic group were obese compared with 13% (7% to 19%) in the lowest. The age standardised prevalence of some risk factors was: tobacco use (40% (37% to 42%) men, 4% (3% to 6%) women); low fruit and vegetable intake (69% (66% to 71%) men, 75% (71% to 78%) women); obesity (19% (17% to 21%) men, 28% (24% to 31%) women); dyslipidaemia (33% (31% to 36%) men, 35% (31% to 38%) women); hypertension (20% (18% to 22%) men, 22% (19% to 25%) women); diabetes (6% (5% to 7%) men, 5% (4% to 7%) women); and underweight (21% (19% to 23%) men, 18% (15% to 21%) women). Risk factors were generally more prevalent in south Indians compared with north Indians. For example, the prevalence of dyslipidaemia was 21% (17% to 33%) in north Indian men compared with 33% (29% to 38%) in south Indian men, while the prevalence of obesity was 13% (9% to 17%) in north Indian women compared with 24% (19% to 30%) in south Indian women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of most risk factors was generally high across a range of sociodemographic groups in this sample of rural villagers in India; in particular, the prevalence of tobacco use in men and obesity in women was striking. However, given the limitations of the study (convenience sampling design and low response rate), cautious interpretation of the results is warranted. These data highlight the need for careful monitoring and control of non-communicable disease risk factors in rural areas of India.
authors.affiliation: Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK. sanjay.kinra@lshtm.ac.uk
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kinra
authors.forename: Liza J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: Tanica
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lyngdoh
authors.forename: Dorairaj
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prabhakaran
authors.forename: Kolli Srinath
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: Lakshmy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ramakrishnan
authors.forename: Ruby
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Ankalmadagu V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Bharathi
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaz
authors.forename: Anura V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kurpad
authors.forename: George Davey
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Yoav
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ben-Shlomo
authors.forename: Shah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ebrahim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D004032:Diet; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012923:Social Class; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult