Sexual disparity and the burden of NCD Risk: A community-based study among Hindu Bengali adults of Brahmaputra Valley, Assam

Background: In several populations around the world, there have been cases of sexual discrepancy in the incidence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) risk factors. Aim and Objectives: The present study aimed to examine the sexual disparity in the prevalence of key risk factors for NCDs among the adult Hindu Bengali population of the Brahmaputra Valley, Assam, to identify sex-specific patterns. Material and Methods: Data were collected from 473 individuals aged 20 years and above using a structured schedule. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS-26, including independent samples t-tests, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression to estimate odds ratios. Results: A greater proportion of men reported tobacco (58.67%) and alcohol (43.80%) use compared to women (34.94% and 13.63%). Men were found to be 1.831 times more likely to have systolic hypertension (OR = 1.831, 95% CI: 1.136–2.952), 1.647 times more likely to have diastolic hypertension (OR = 1.647, 95% CI: 1.082–2.506), and 1.823 times more likely to have diabetes (OR = 1.823, 95% CI: 1.114–2.982) than women. In contrast, males had 39.1% lower odds of obesity compared to females (OR = 0.609, 95% CI: 0.397–0.936). Conclusion: These findings highlight the substantial role of behavioral risk factors in shaping the burden of NCDs. Evaluating their influence is essential to understanding the underlying causes of sex-based disparities in NCD incidence.