Making Sense of Disparate Data on Noncommunicable Disease Risk Behaviors Among Youth in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Toshiko Kaneda , Population Reference Bureau (PRB)

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of death globally, including in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). There are four key risk factors that account for the majority of deaths from NCDs: (1) Tobacco Use; (2) Harmful Use of Alcohol; (3) Unhealthy Diet; and (4) Physical Inactivity. These are all modifiable behaviors typically initiated or established in adolescence or young adulthood. Interventions targeting these behaviors among today’s large cohorts of youth is key to curbing the growing NCD epidemic in LMICs. Cross-country comparisons of prevalence are essential for informing policies and programs, yet they are hampered by the scarcity of directly comparable data. The proposed poster will use data visualization to synthesize the disparate data points available for the prevalence of the four key NCD risk behaviors among youth for over 160 LMICs. It will serve as a single reference that facilitates comparisons of the risk behavior-levels across countries and regions.

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 Presented in Session 2. Children & Youth