Prevalence and Patterns of Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factors in Adolescents: A South-Kerala School Based Study

Background: In the background of rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the health system needಸ್ to implement preventive strategies particularly at early stages of disease development. Addressing these issues should commence in childhood, as unhealthy lifestyle practices play a significant role in influencing health outcomes from an early age. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted among1852 class eleven students in 15 Higher Secondary Schools in Thiruvananthapuram district selected through multistage cluster sampling. Dietary practices, physical activity and screen use patterns, substance abuse, and perceived stress levels were assessed using a prevalidated questionnaire. Blood Pressure, Anthropometric measurements, and Acanthosis nigricans neck severity grading were also recorded. Results: About 25% of the students had Grade I Hypertension and 8.3% had Grade II Hypertension. Around 19% of the students were overweight, while 6.4% were obese. Around 62% of the participants reported engaging in moderate or vigorous physical activities less than three days a week. Consumption of junk foods was highly frequent among the students, with 61% reporting consumption of oil-fried snacks three or more days a week and 53.5% consuming sugary snacks three or more days a week. Fruit and vegetable consumption was low. Acanthosis nigricans (neck) was found in 26% of the students. Nearly 33% of the students had recreational screen time greater than three hours per day. Conclusion: The study results show that a major proportion of middle-late adolescents have behavioural, and physiological risk factors for NCDs, warranting strong preventive measures to be adopted at school level itself. Strategies aimed at awareness generation, increasing availability of and accessibility to healthy food and physical activity habits, as well as regular anthropometric and blood pressure screenings with follow up provisions in the schools need to be implemented.