Behavioural and nutritional risk factors for cardiovascular diseases among the Ghanaian population- a cross-sectional study

Francis Agyekum; Aba Ankomaba Folson; Benjamin Abaidoo; Lambert Tetteh Appiah; Yaw Adu-Boakye; Harold Ayetey; Isaac Kofi Owusu

doi:10.1186/s12889-024-17709-5

Behavioural and nutritional risk factors for cardiovascular diseases among the Ghanaian population- a cross-sectional study

BMC Public Health. 2024 Jan 16;24(1):194. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-17709-5.

Authors

Francis Agyekum¹, Aba Ankomaba Folson², Benjamin Abaidoo³, Lambert Tetteh Appiah⁴, Yaw Adu-Boakye⁴, Harold Ayetey⁵, Isaac Kofi Owusu⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana Medical School, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana. franagyekum@gmail.com.
² Department of Medicine, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana.
³ Department of Surgery, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana Medical School, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
⁴ Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
⁵ Department of Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.

Abstract

Background: Lifestyle behavioural risk factors have been linked to increased cardiovascular disease. Recent data have shown increased atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) burden in Ghana. This study aimed to describe the behavioural and nutritional risk factors for ASCVD among Ghanaians, and how these risk factors vary by ethnicity, demography and residence.

Methods: We used data from the Ghana Heart Study, a community-based cross-sectional study that recruited participants from eight communities from four regions using a multi-stage sampling technique. Information about various lifestyle behaviours (LBs), including cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, physical inactivity, and fruit and vegetable intake, was obtained using a questionnaire. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS statistics 25. Univariate and multivariate analysis was used to test associations between demographic characteristics and various LBs.

Results: The participants' median (interquartile) age was 46.0 (27.0) years. Of the 1,106 participants (58% females, 80.4% urban dwellers), 8.6% reported using tobacco, 48.9% alcohol, 83.7% physically inactive, 81.4% and 84.9% inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, respectively. Age, sex, ethnicity, and religion were associated with tobacco use, whereas age, sex, educational level, marital status, ethnicity, employment status, and region of residence were associated with physical inactivity. Similarly, ethnicity, employment status, and residence region were associated with inadequate fruit and vegetable intake. Rural dwellers were more likely to be physically inactive and consume inadequate fruits and vegetables. Almost 92% had a combination of two or more LBs. The main predictors of two or more LBs for ASCVD were educational level, marital status, ethnicity, and employment status.

Conclusion: Lifestyle risk factors for ASCVD were highly prevalent in Ghana, with significant age, sex, ethnic, and regional differences. These risky lifestyle behaviors tend to occur together and must be considered in tailoring public health education.

Trial registration: The study was registered at http://www.chictr.org.cn as ChiCTR1800017374.

Keywords: Behavioural risk factors; Cardiovascular diseases; Lifestyle risk factors; Nutritional risk factors; Physical inactivity; Smoking.

MeSH terms

Cardiovascular Diseases* / epidemiology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Ghana / epidemiology
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Risk Factors
Vegetables

Associated data

ChiCTR/ChiCTR1800017374