Noncommunicable Diseases and their Risk Factors in Hitherto Understudied Senior Adults of Afghanistan: A Public Health Concern

Introduction: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), along with communicable diseases, are major public health concerns in Afghanistan. Older adults are particularly more susceptible to NCD due to many factors. This study aims to determine the prevalence and risk factors of NCDs among older adults in Afghanistan. Patients and Methods: The 2018 Afghanistan World Health Organization STEPS survey for 60–70 years was analyzed to identify the prevalence of NCD and its associated factors. Data on 418 older adults were extracted and analyzed for sociodemographic, dietary habits, and risk-taking behaviors. Descriptive statistics determined the prevalence of NCDs and their risk factors. SPSS v. 26 was used for data management and analysis. Results: Of the sample, 73% were men, with 64.1% aged 60–65 years. The mean age was 64.5 years for men and 63.1 years for women. Smoking was reported in 6.1%, and 2.2% consumed alcohol. Extra salt was added by 9.6%, 1.4% used processed food, and 53.8% used vegetable oil for cooking. Cardiovascular disease history was 15.6%, with 67% having over 5 h of sedentary time daily. Fruit and vegetable consumption was 48.6% and 69.8% for more than 3 days/week, respectively. Hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol were prevalent in 31.4%, 18%, 13.7% and 18.8% of respondents, respectively. Conclusion: Older adults were suffering from high rates of hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol in Afghanistan. Smoking, alcohol consumption, and processed food use were low, but many used extra salt and animal oil for cooking. These findings highlight the need for awareness and interventions to reduce NCD prevalence and risk factors among older adults.