Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Adults Attending General Outpatient Departments of Rural Field Practice Areas of a Medical College in Lucknow

Q: What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Cross-Sectional. Population: Cardiovascular disease risk factors (n=150). Intervention: Central obesity vs. Absence of central obesity. Primary outcome: Clustering of cardiovascular risk factors (≥2 risk factors) (OR 3.18, 95% CI 1.61-6.29, p=0.001).

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Central obesity is highly prevalent among rural outpatient adults and serves as the strongest predictor of cardiovascular risk factor clustering. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.CONFIRMATORY. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

doi:10.25258/ijddt.16.74s.140

October 19, 2026International Journal of Drug Delivery TechnologyOpen Access

Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Adults Attending General Outpatient Departments of Rural Field Practice Areas of a Medical College in Lucknow

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Share

Key result

Central obesity linked to ~3.2-fold higher odds of cardiovascular risk factor clustering.

OR 3.18
95% CI 1.61-6.29
P=0.001
n=150

Why the study?

The prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors is rising in India, making early identification important for effective prevention, especially in rural populations. This study assessed the prevalence, co-occurrence, and sociodemographic associations of cardiovascular risk factors among rural outpatient adults in Lucknow.

Key Points

To determine the prevalence, co-occurrence, and sociodemographic determinants of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors among adults attending a rural outpatient clinic in Lucknow.
Descriptive cross-sectional study involving 150 adults recruited via systematic random sampling at a rural general outpatient department in Lucknow.
Behavioral and anthropometric measurements were collected using the standardized WHO STEPwise Approach to Surveillance (WHO STEPS) instrument.
Associations with risk factor clustering were evaluated using descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression.
The most prevalent risk factors were central obesity (42.7%), physical inactivity (40.7%), obesity (34.7%), tobacco use (30.7%), and hypertension (28.7%).
Risk factor clustering was present in 60.0% of participants with two or more factors, and 29.3% exhibited three or more factors.
Independent predictors of clustering included central obesity (OR 3.18, 95% CI 1.61–6.29, P=0.001), physical inactivity (OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.42–5.27, P=0.002), age ≥45 years (OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.28–4.82, P=0.007), and male gender (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.03–3.47, P=0.039).

Study Design

Type

Cross-Sectional (n=150)

Multicenter

No

Structured PICO

P

Population

150 rural Indian adults aged 18 years and above (45.3% female) attending a medical college general outpatient department in Lucknow over a 3-month period, excluding pregnant women and those with cognitive or communication difficulties.

E

Exposure

Assessment of behavioral and physical cardiovascular risk factors using the WHO STEPwise Approach to Surveillance (WHO STEPS) Instrument (Step 1 questionnaires and Step 2 physical measurements).

O

Outcome

Prevalence and clustering (co-occurrence of ≥2 factors) of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, obesity, central obesity, tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, alcohol consumption).surrogate

Main Result

Odds Ratio: 3.18 (95% CI 1.61–6.29)

p-value: p=0.001

This study demonstrates a high burden and clustering of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (60% having ≥2 factors) among rural Indian outpatients, underscoring the need for routine opportunistic screening and community-based lifestyle interventions.

Limitations

Cross-sectional design does not allow for causal relationships to be established
Conducted in a single rural field practice area, limiting generalizability
Behavioral variables were self-reported and prone to recall bias
Biochemical measurements (WHO STEPS Step 3) were not evaluated, which may underestimate the cardiovascular risk profile
Cross-sectional design does not allow for causal relationships to be formed.
Conducted in a single rural field practice area, limiting generalizability to all populations.
Behavioral variables were self-reported and prone to recall bias.
Biochemical measurements (WHO STEPS Step 3) were not evaluated, which might have underestimated the cardiovascular risk profile.

Implication

Central obesity assessment may flag clustered risk in rural outpatients; cross-sectional data leaves open causal validation and practice change.

Abstract

Background:Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the top cause of deaths worldwide, and the prevalence of modifiable risk factors (MRFs) like hypertension, obesity, tobacco use, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity are on the rise in India.It is important to identify such risk factors at an early stage to allow effective prevention, especially in rural populations.Objectives:To find out the prevalence and co-occurrence of cardiovascular risk factors among adult population attending the general outpatient department of a rural field practice area of a medical college at Lucknow and to see their association with the sociodemographic characteristics.Methods:The method is descriptive cross sectional study, the number of samples are 150 people, systematic random sampling.The data collected included behavioural risk factors and physical measurements, and were obtained via the WHO STEPwise Approach to Surveillance (WHO STEPS) Instrument.Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression were used for statistical analysis.Results:Factors most commonly reported were central obesity (42.7%), physical inactivity (40.7%), obesity (34.7%), tobacco use (30.7%) and hypertension (28.7%).Overall, 60.0% of the participants had 2 or more Cardiovascular Risk Factors.The age, sex, physical inactivity and central obesity were significantly associated with risk factor clustering. Conclusion:It brings up the significant burden of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors among rural adults.In order to decrease the burden of cardiovascular diseases in the future, routine screening (WHO STEPS approach) and community-based lifestyle interventions are needed.

Discussion

No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.

Cite This Study

A 2026 study conducted a cross-sectional in Cardiovascular disease risk factors (n=150). Central obesity vs. Absence of central obesity was evaluated on Clustering of cardiovascular risk factors (≥2 risk factors) (OR 3.18, 95% CI 1.61-6.29, p=0.001). Central obesity was present in 42.7% of rural outpatient adults and was the strongest predictor of cardiovascular risk factor clustering (OR 3.18, 95% CI 1.61-6.29; p=0.001).

synapsesocial.com/papers/6ae28e75cbadf70daf6c42df https://doi.org/10.25258/ijddt.16.74s.140

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Share

Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Adults Attending General Outpatient Departments of Rural Field Practice Areas of a Medical College in Lucknow

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Adults Attending General Outpatient Departments of Rural Field Practice Areas of a Medical College in Lucknow

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

Keep reading

Keep reading