Key result
Lifestyle risk factors for ASCVD were highly prevalent among Ghanaian adults, with almost 92% having two or more risky behaviors, significantly predicted by education, marital status, ethnicity, and employment.
Why the study?
Recent data have shown an increased ASCVD burden in Ghana, motivating an evaluation of behavioural and nutritional risk factors and how they vary by ethnicity, demography, and residence.
Cross-Sectional (n=1,106)
Yes
Lifestyle risk factors for ASCVD, particularly physical inactivity and inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, are highly prevalent and frequently co-occur among Ghanaian adults.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
High prevalence of clustered lifestyle risks in Ghanaian adults may guide local prevention; leaves open longitudinal links to ASCVD incidence.
BACKGROUND: Lifestyle behavioural risk factors have been linked to increased cardiovascular disease. Recent data have shown increased atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) burden in Ghana. This study aimed to describe the behavioural and nutritional risk factors for ASCVD among Ghanaians, and how these risk factors vary by ethnicity, demography and residence. METHODS: We used data from the Ghana Heart Study, a community-based cross-sectional study that recruited participants from eight communities from four regions using a multi-stage sampling technique. Information about various lifestyle behaviours (LBs), including cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, physical inactivity, and fruit and vegetable intake, was obtained using a questionnaire. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS statistics 25. Univariate and multivariate analysis was used to test associations between demographic characteristics and various LBs. RESULTS: The participants' median (interquartile) age was 46.0 (27.0) years. Of the 1,106 participants (58% females, 80.4% urban dwellers), 8.6% reported using tobacco, 48.9% alcohol, 83.7% physically inactive, 81.4% and 84.9% inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, respectively. Age, sex, ethnicity, and religion were associated with tobacco use, whereas age, sex, educational level, marital status, ethnicity, employment status, and region of residence were associated with physical inactivity. Similarly, ethnicity, employment status, and residence region were associated with inadequate fruit and vegetable intake. Rural dwellers were more likely to be physically inactive and consume inadequate fruits and vegetables. Almost 92% had a combination of two or more LBs. The main predictors of two or more LBs for ASCVD were educational level, marital status, ethnicity, and employment status. CONCLUSION: Lifestyle risk factors for ASCVD were highly prevalent in Ghana, with significant age, sex, ethnic, and regional differences. These risky lifestyle behaviors tend to occur together and must be considered in tailoring public health education. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered at http://www.chictr.org.cn as ChiCTR1800017374.
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Agyekum et al. (2024) conducted a cross-sectional in Cardiovascular disease risk factors (n=1,106). Sociodemographic factors (age, sex, education, marital status, ethnicity, employment, region) vs. Reference demographic groups was evaluated on Presence of two or more behavioural and nutritional risk factors for ASCVD. Lifestyle risk factors for ASCVD were highly prevalent among Ghanaian adults, with almost 92% having two or more risky behaviors, significantly predicted by education, marital status, ethnicity, and employment.
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