Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factors: STEPS Survey Nepal 2025.



Ongoing


One Year


Nepal Health Research Council and Ministry Of Health and Population


This national representative sample will be selected through multistage cluster sampling.


World Health Organization (WHO) identified the eight major behavioral and biological risk factors of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). These are: tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet (low fruits and vegetables consumption), physical inactivity, overweight and obesity, raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose and abnormal blood lipids and its subset raised total cholesterol. Evidences suggest that these behavioral and biological risk factors contribute to chronic diseases like cardiovascular diseases (CVD), cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and diabetes mellitus. Additional risk factors like indoor air pollution and high salt consumption are also closely linked to the development of these chronic diseases.

 

NCDs claim 40 million lives every year contributing almost 70% of all deaths globally. The burden of NCDs is increasing rapidly in developing countries and can be expected to have significant health, social and economic consequences. It is essential to identify the most common risk factors for prevention and control of NCD burden. WHO recommends that it is necessary to undertake NCD risk factors survey every four years to facilitate evidence informed planning and programming.

 

The WHO STEP-wise approach to surveillance (STEPS) surveys provides critical data on NCD risk factors in Nepal, allowing for tracking of trends and evaluation of public health interventions. Comparing the 2013 and 2018 STEPS surveys reveals important changes in behavioral, physical, and biochemical risk factors among the Nepalese population. Following analysis highlights key differences in prevalence rates, emerging patterns, and demographic variations that inform Nepal’s ongoing battle against the growing NCD burden.


General Objective

 To assess the current prevalence, distribution, trend and determinants of NCD risk factors in Nepal

 

Specific Objectives

  1. To find the current prevalence and distribution of behavioral risk factors (tobacco use, abnormal alcohol consumption, low fruits and vegetable consumptions and physical inactivity)
  2. To measure the current prevalence and distribution of biological risk factors (raised blood pressure, overweight, obesity, raised blood glucose and abnormal blood lipids)
  3. To assess the oral health practices of the adult population.
  4. To assess the status of tobacco related policies in Nepal
  5. To assess the stress level among the adult population 
  6. To identify which risk factors are increasing, decreasing, or remaining stagnant, providing a measure of the effectiveness of past public health efforts.
  7. To analyze co-morbidity (e.g., diabetes + hypertension) and multi morbidity and their socioeconomic correlates

The finding of the study will generate baseline database for NCD risk factors. The findings will help the policy makers and planner to make a national action plan for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in Nepal.