Abstract
Two-thirds of 2010 deaths worldwide were caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and diabetes mellitus coming top as the causes of mortality. In 2008, 26.6 per 1000 female population deaths, and 46 per 1000 male population deaths in Saudi Arabia were attributed to non-communicable diseases. Data about the magnitude of NCDs among young population in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) are scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of risk factors of non-conmmunicable diseases among female university students. Total coverage was carried out and a cross sectional study was done using the Arabic version of the The WHO STEPwise approach to surveillance (WHO STEPs) approach. The study showed that 3.1% of the students were current smokers, 61.7% were physically inactive; most of the students were not consuming adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables. The prevalence of overweight, mild obesity and sever obesity among the students was (28.6, 15 and 3.1%, respectively). 2.5% of the students had unacceptable fasting blood glucose level, 31.1% had unacceptable fasting blood cholesterol level and 33.6% had unacceptable fasting blood triglycerides. A significant negative correlation was found between the body mass index (BMI) and the actual metabolic equivalents of task (MET) minutes of physical exercises. And a significant positive correlation was found between the BMI and blood cholesterol and triglycerides levels, waist circumference and the waist hip ratio. The study emphasises on the importance of implementing awareness programmes on non-communicable diseases among young Saudi population to adopt healthy life styles. Key words: Risk factors, non-communicable diseases, female university students, health colleges, Taif.
Highlights
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a group of diseases accounting for millions of deaths globally each
The World Health Organization (WHO) projected that by 2015, NCDs will account for over 70% of all deaths globally with 80% of these deaths occurring in developing countries (WHO, 2005)
The smoking prevalence in this study is consistent with the prevalence observed in more than 12 cited articles on smoking among university students in Saudi Arabia (Al-Turki and Al-Rowais, 2008; Al-Mahmoudi and Amin, 2010), where the overall tobacco consumption among female students ranged from 1 to 16%
Summary
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a group of diseases accounting for millions of deaths globally each98 Int. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a group of diseases accounting for millions of deaths globally each. Two-thirds of the 52·8 million deaths worldwide in 2010 were caused by these diseases, with ischaemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and diabetes ranking among the top ten causes (Lozano et al, 2010). The most important risk factors for these diseases are high blood pressure, high concentration of cholesterol, inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables, overweight and obesity, physical inactivity and tobacco use (WHO, 2010 a). The World Health Organization (WHO) projected that by 2015, NCDs will account for over 70% of all deaths globally with 80% of these deaths occurring in developing countries (WHO, 2005). Studies have stated that the prevalence of risk factors for non- communicable diseases in adolescence results in a significant tendency towards development of disease in adulthood. Adolescence is the appropriate period for proper intervention (Aboul Ell et al, 2011)
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