DIETARY PRACTICES, PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES AND NON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

Abstract

Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) which are responsible for two thirds of the world’s deaths have become a major health burden in the world today. Of the 56 million global deaths in 2012, 38 million (68%) were due to NCDs, principally cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases (Global Status Report on Non Communicable Diseases, World Health Organization, 2014). NCDs have already become the largest contributor to disease in Sri Lanka accounting for 85% of ill health, disability and early deaths. It has been identified that obesity, smoking, high sugar, salty diets and alcohol are the leading risk factors for the NCDs. At the same time, a growth of the risk factors which mainly occurred in the last century due to industrialization and urbanization which resulted in rapid changes in the diet and life style of people has been observed. In view of the above, the main objective of this study was to identify and explore the life styles of the people, especially their dietary practices and level of physical activities which cause NCDs. The study was conducted by a randomly selected group of 292 people in rural and semi urban setting in Sri Lanka in 2013.The data were collected only from the cardiovascular and diabetes clinics at Urubokka Government Hospital and Colombo South Government Hospital. Odds Ratio and Relative Risk were used to identify the level of the risk on the lives of people who are more exposed to risk factors than others. In addition, Factor Analysis was applied for hidden factor identifications. The analysis highlighted that the individuals who consumed more than 400g of salt per month have two times the risk of having NCDs than those who use a lesser amount of salt. Moreover, people who use more than 500ml of oil in their diet per month, have three times the risk of suffering from NCDs than those who use a lesser amount. Dietary practices and physical activity levels of people are two factors that can be identified through the Factor Analysis. Thus, the analysis points out that new direction and policies in dietary practices are urgently needed to rectify the problem.