title: Risk factors for non-communicable diseases among older adults in rural Africa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To expand the evidence base on the prevalence of non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors in rural Africa, in particular among older adults aged 50 and older.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study in three rural sites in Malawi, Rwanda and Tanzania. One person was interviewed from each of 665 households selected through a stratified random sampling procedure across the three sites. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, smoking and alcohol intake as well as a food frequency questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Smoking rates among older men and women were higher than among adults under 50. While only 2.3% of women under 50 were current smokers, 21.0% of older women smoked (P<0.0001). Among men, 19.0% of men under 50 smoked versus 36.6% of older men (P=0.001). Alcohol consumption among older women aged 50 and older (45.0%) was more common (P=0.005) than among women under 50 (27.6%). Examining a set of five risk factors, more men aged 50 and older (49.5%) had two or more risk factors than men under 50 (25.5%) (P<0.0001). Similarly, 52.0% of women aged 50 and older had two or more risk factors, versus 24.1% of women under 50 (P<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contrary to what is seen in developed country settings, this study reveals high rates of smoking and alcohol consumption among men and women aged 50 years and older in rural Africa that puts them at risk of NCDs. The health of older adults in rural Africa has been neglected, and these findings highlight the importance of reaching out to older adults with messaging regarding diet, smoking, alcohol use and general health.
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Australia. joel.negin@sydney.edu.au
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Negin
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cumming
authors.forename: Sarah Stewart
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: de Ramirez
authors.forename: Seye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abimbola
authors.forename: Sonia Ehrlich
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Sachs
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004194:Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult