Cardiovascular Diseases Risk Factors Among Young Adults: A STEPwise-Approach-Based Study in Three University Setups in Morocco

Hamza Loukili,Helene Landrault,Driss Frej,Gabriel Malka,Mohamed Amine

doi:10.2174/1874944502013010464

Abstract

Background: Although chronic diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases, are more likely to emerge during adulthood, their development begins earlier during childhood and adolescence. In this respect, we explored cardiovascular disease risk factors among students in three elite schools in Morocco. Method: The data collecting process was carried out using the French version of the STEPwise approach developed by the WHO to monitor Non-Communicable Diseases risk factors, producing thus standardized data and allowing wide comparability across similar studies. The investigation was conducted through on-site and online configurations. We only relied on the first and second sequences of the STEPS questionnaire in order to collect behavioral and physical data, on which our analysis was based. The choice of the population of Moroccan high intellectual potential youth is interesting, as they represent future physicians and leading engineers of tomorrow. Results: A total number of 325 subjects were surveyed. The prevalence of auto-reported diabetes and hypertension was respectively 3.31% and 8.54%. Alarmingly, a large proportion of respondents had undiagnosed hypertension. Besides, the prevalence of obesity was found to reach 6.17%, with no significant difference between gender groups. Conclusion: Hypertension appears to be largely undiagnosed which urges taking actions towards raising awareness among youth about chronic diseases and their risk factors as well as highlighting their preventability to prevent their future development.

Highlights

The rise of Non-Communicable Diseases4 (NCDs ) and the subsequent shifts in the worldwide morbidity and mortality trends have placed the issue of NCDs at the top of the research agenda for health officials as well as other stakeholders, in all countries irrespective of their development stages
Cardiovascular disease forecasting algorithms, such as the ones developed under the QRESEARCH study, namely QRISK1 and QRISK2 algorithms, which have been developed using medical files of a cohort of more than 24 million subjects [4, 5]
The investigated risk factors include the consumption of tobacco and alcohol, eating habits, physical activity levels, obesity, hypertension, and selfreported cases of diabetes mellitus

Summary

Introduction

The rise of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs ) and the subsequent shifts in the worldwide morbidity and mortality trends have placed the issue of NCDs at the top of the research agenda for health officials as well as other stakeholders, in all countries irrespective of their development stages. The shift of focus from infectious diseases to NCDs and the emergence of the notion of risk factors are the result of the landmark epidemiological study of Framingham initiated in 1947 [4]. This –still ongoing– study has established causal links between cardiovascular diseases and physical, behavioral, as well as psychosocial factors. Cardiovascular diseases, are more likely to emerge during adulthood, their development begins earlier during childhood and adolescence In this respect, we explored cardiovascular disease risk factors among students in three elite schools in Morocco

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion