PROFILE OF PHYSICAL INACTIVITY AS A RISK FACTOR FOR NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES IN A RURAL POPULATION

BACKGROUND: Eighty-five percent of the global burden of Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) is borne by the low and middle income countries, like India development. Emergence of NCDs in India is identified by WHO, ICMR and Government of India. NCDs share common risk factors like physical inactivity are causing 3.2 million deaths annually in the world (WHO, 2014). AIMS: Aim was to study profile of physical inactivity for non-communicable diseases. METHODS AND MATERIALS: SETTING: Community through home visit. STUDY DESIGN: Community based Cross sectional survey. STUDY DURATION: The study was conducted from July 2008 to September 2010. STUDY POPULATION: Through multistage sampling 3500 persons were studied in 12 villages of Wardha district (MH). STUDY INSTRUMENTS: Step-1(core) of WHOs STEP-wise approach (2002.) was used to study physical activity by home visit using a pretested structured schedule in English/ Marathi. Step 1 contains Core or " minimum set", self-report measures for all countries. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: The total physical activity is the sum of physical activity at work, transport and leisure time. Individuals were divided into physically inactive, moderately active and highly active according to MET minutes of exertion. CONSENT: Informed consent from participants and ethical clearance from Institutional Ethical Committee was obtained. RESULTS: 3500 individuals (Male 54.86% and Female 45.14%) were studied. Prevalence of physical inactivity was 26.88% in all, 18.75% in male and 35.44% in female; more in 15-24 years and 55-64 years, more in female than male in each age group. CONCLUSIONS: Physical inactivity is widely prevalent even in rural population but a preventable and modifiable NCD RF through organized multispectral efforts.