STEPwise assessment of non-communicable diseases: a pilot study among the rural elderly population of Bangladesh

Bangladesh is encountering a rapid increase in the geriatric population (age 60 years and older) with currently 15 million older adults which is expected to reach 36 million by 2050. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the major health challenges in this population. Our pilot study was designed to measure the prevalence of behavioral and biological risk factors among these geriatric people in Dohar upazila of Dhaka district in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted from September to December 2025, using a multistage cluster sampling design among 187 elderly population (64 men and 123 women) aged 60 years and above, recruited from 9 mauzas/clusters. Data collection was operated by following the WHO STEPs approach including face-to-face interviews, physical measurement, and biochemical assessments. Among the participants, around 51.3% (95% CI: 44.2–58.4%) were currently using any form of smoked or smokeless tobacco products, where higher use was seen in men (60.9%, 95% CI: 48.7–71.9%) compared to women (46.3%, 95% CI: 37.8–55.1%). Approximately 46.5% of the respondents always or often used extra salt while eating food, but only 17.6% of people were aware of the health consequences of excess salt consumption. Most of the participants (92.5%) were physically inactive (< 75 min of activity per week). 26.2% (95% CI: 20.4–32.9%) were overweight and 26.2% (95% CI: 19.9–32.5%) were obese, while obesity was more common in females (29.2%) than males (20.3%). Likewise, 56.1% of women had high waist circumference compared to 15.6% of men. Raised blood pressure was found in 41.2% (95% CI: 34.4–48.3%), whilst raised blood glucose and HbA1c were found in 21.4% (95% CI: 16.1–27.8%) and 25.7% (95% CI: 19.9–32.4%), respectively. Although the majority of participants (93.6%) had normal creatinine levels, around 32.6% (95% CI: 26.3–39.6%) of respondents had raised total cholesterol. The geriatric people in rural Bangladesh possess a high burden of NCD risk factors. Nationwide surveys and community-based interventions are urgently needed. Primary healthcare system must be strengthened for screening and management of the NCDs among the elderly people in Bangladesh.