The prevalence and associated factors of non-communicable disease risk factors among civil servants in Ibadan, Nigeria

Background Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have become a global public health problem, which threatens Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) including Nigeria. Civil servants are at risk of NCDs because of the stressful and sedentary nature of their work. The study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of the major risk factors of NCDs among civil servants in Ibadan, Nigeria. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 606 civil servants in Oyo State using a two-stage cluster sampling technique. The WHO Stepwise approach was used to assess the behavioural and metabolic risk factors. Anthropometric (weight, height, waist and hip circumferences), blood pressure and biochemical measurements (fasting blood sugar) were obtained. Prevalence rates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Multivariate logistic models with adjusted odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were used to assess the associated factors of NCD risk factors. Multiple Poisson regression was also performed to determine the effects of certain socio-demographic factors on the clustering of NCD risk factors. Results The mean age of the civil servants was 43.0 +/- 10.3 and 53.8% were males. The prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals of the risk factors were 6.5% (95% CI: 4.5-8.5) for current smoking, 7.8% (95% CI: 5.1-10.5) for harmful use of alcohol, 62.2% (95% CI: 58.2-66.2) for low physical activity, 69.7% (95% CI: 66.0-73.4) for insufficient fruit and vegetable intake, 37.1% (95% CI: 33.2-41.0) for abdominal obesity, 57.3% (95% CI: 53.3-61.3) for overweight and obesity, 33.1% (95% CI: 29.3-36.8) for raised blood pressure and 7.1% (95% CI: 5.0-9.1) for raised blood sugar. Over 75% of the population had at least two NCD risk factors and the study participants had an average of 3 NCD risk factors 3.01 (95% CI: 2.88-3.14) The female gender was significantly associated with an increased risk for abdominal obesity (AOR 27.9; 95% CI: 12.09-64.6) and being overweight or obese (AOR 6.78; 95% CI: 3.53-13.01), but was protective of smoking (AOR 0.21; 95% CI: 0.07-0.61) and binge drinking (AOR 0.04; 95% CI: 0.01-0.45). Also, the risk of hypertension increased with age -30-39 years (AOR 12.29; 95% CI: 1.06-141.8), 40-49 years (AOR 14.28; 95% CI: 1.10-181.4) and 50 years and above (AOR 32.43; 95% CI: 2.44-413.7). Raised blood pressure was a strong correlate for having raised blood sugar (AOR 5.63; 95% CI: 1.48-21.3). Increasing age (IRR 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01-1.02) and being female (IRR 1.36; 95% CI: 1.23-1.49) were also important predictors of the clustering of risk factors. Conclusion The feminization (i.e. the preponderance of risk factors among the females) and clustering of non-communicable disease risk factors were observed among Oyo State civil servants. Our findings highlight the high prevalence of cardio-metabolic risk factors among the working class. Hence the need for targeted preventive and therapeutic interventions among this population.