Prevalence, trends and distribution of lifestyle cancer risk factors in Uganda: a 20-year systematic review
Abstract Background Cancer is becoming an important public health problem in Uganda. Cancer control requires surveillance of lifestyle risk factors to inform targeted interventions. However, only one national Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) risk factor survey has been conducted in Uganda. This review...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Cancer |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-023-10621-y |
| _version_ | 1827970444960989184 |
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| author | Annet Nakaganda Immaculate Mbarusha Angela Spencer Lesley Patterson Isla Gemmell Andrew Jones Arpana Verma |
| author_facet | Annet Nakaganda Immaculate Mbarusha Angela Spencer Lesley Patterson Isla Gemmell Andrew Jones Arpana Verma |
| author_sort | Annet Nakaganda |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Cancer is becoming an important public health problem in Uganda. Cancer control requires surveillance of lifestyle risk factors to inform targeted interventions. However, only one national Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) risk factor survey has been conducted in Uganda. This review assessed the prevalence, trends and distribution of lifestyle risk factors in Uganda. Methods The review identified studies up to January 2019 by searching Medline, Embase, CINAL and Cochrane databases. Further literature was identified from relevant websites and journals; scanning reference lists of relevant articles; and citation searching using Google Scholar. To be eligible, studies had to have been conducted in Uganda, and report prevalence estimates for at least one lifestyle cancer risk factor. Narrative and systematic synthesis was used to analyse the data. Results Twenty-four studies were included in the review. Overall, unhealthy diet (88%) was the most prevalent lifestyle risk factor for both males and females. This was followed by harmful use of alcohol (range of 14.3% to 26%) for men, and being overweight (range of 9% to 24%) for women. Tobacco use (range of 0.8% to 10.1%) and physical inactivity (range of 3.7% to 4.9%) were shown to be relatively less prevalent in Uganda. Tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol were more common in males and more prevalent in Northern region, while being overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m2) and physical inactivity were more common in females and more prevalent in Central region. Tobacco use was more prevalent among the rural populations compared to urban, while physical inactivity and being overweight were more common in urban than in rural settings. Tobacco use has decreased overtime, while being overweight increased in all regions and for both sexes. Conclusion There is limited data about lifestyle risk factors in Uganda. Apart from tobacco use, other lifestyle risk factors seem to be increasing and there is variation in the prevalence of lifestyle risk factors among the different populations in Uganda. Prevention of lifestyle cancer risk factors requires targeted interventions and a multi-sectoral approach. Most importantly, improving the availability, measurement and comparability of cancer risk factor data should be a top priority for future research in Uganda and other low-resource settings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:53:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-900197a059b845a283e3d90d330e7dd4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2407 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:53:59Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Cancer |
| spelling | doaj.art-900197a059b845a283e3d90d330e7dd42023-04-09T11:19:13ZengBMCBMC Cancer1471-24072023-04-0123111710.1186/s12885-023-10621-yPrevalence, trends and distribution of lifestyle cancer risk factors in Uganda: a 20-year systematic reviewAnnet Nakaganda0Immaculate Mbarusha1Angela Spencer2Lesley Patterson3Isla Gemmell4Andrew Jones5Arpana Verma6Cancer Epidemiology and Clinical Trials Unit, Uganda Cancer InstituteCancer Epidemiology and Clinical Trials Unit, Uganda Cancer InstituteDepartment of Public Health and Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of ManchesterDepartment of Public Health and Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of ManchesterDepartment of Public Health and Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of ManchesterDepartment of Public Health and Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of ManchesterDepartment of Public Health and Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of ManchesterAbstract Background Cancer is becoming an important public health problem in Uganda. Cancer control requires surveillance of lifestyle risk factors to inform targeted interventions. However, only one national Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) risk factor survey has been conducted in Uganda. This review assessed the prevalence, trends and distribution of lifestyle risk factors in Uganda. Methods The review identified studies up to January 2019 by searching Medline, Embase, CINAL and Cochrane databases. Further literature was identified from relevant websites and journals; scanning reference lists of relevant articles; and citation searching using Google Scholar. To be eligible, studies had to have been conducted in Uganda, and report prevalence estimates for at least one lifestyle cancer risk factor. Narrative and systematic synthesis was used to analyse the data. Results Twenty-four studies were included in the review. Overall, unhealthy diet (88%) was the most prevalent lifestyle risk factor for both males and females. This was followed by harmful use of alcohol (range of 14.3% to 26%) for men, and being overweight (range of 9% to 24%) for women. Tobacco use (range of 0.8% to 10.1%) and physical inactivity (range of 3.7% to 4.9%) were shown to be relatively less prevalent in Uganda. Tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol were more common in males and more prevalent in Northern region, while being overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m2) and physical inactivity were more common in females and more prevalent in Central region. Tobacco use was more prevalent among the rural populations compared to urban, while physical inactivity and being overweight were more common in urban than in rural settings. Tobacco use has decreased overtime, while being overweight increased in all regions and for both sexes. Conclusion There is limited data about lifestyle risk factors in Uganda. Apart from tobacco use, other lifestyle risk factors seem to be increasing and there is variation in the prevalence of lifestyle risk factors among the different populations in Uganda. Prevention of lifestyle cancer risk factors requires targeted interventions and a multi-sectoral approach. Most importantly, improving the availability, measurement and comparability of cancer risk factor data should be a top priority for future research in Uganda and other low-resource settings.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-023-10621-yCancerLifestyleRisk-factorsPrevalenceTrendsSurveillance |
| spellingShingle | Annet Nakaganda Immaculate Mbarusha Angela Spencer Lesley Patterson Isla Gemmell Andrew Jones Arpana Verma Prevalence, trends and distribution of lifestyle cancer risk factors in Uganda: a 20-year systematic review BMC Cancer Cancer Lifestyle Risk-factors Prevalence Trends Surveillance |
| title | Prevalence, trends and distribution of lifestyle cancer risk factors in Uganda: a 20-year systematic review |
| title_full | Prevalence, trends and distribution of lifestyle cancer risk factors in Uganda: a 20-year systematic review |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence, trends and distribution of lifestyle cancer risk factors in Uganda: a 20-year systematic review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence, trends and distribution of lifestyle cancer risk factors in Uganda: a 20-year systematic review |
| title_short | Prevalence, trends and distribution of lifestyle cancer risk factors in Uganda: a 20-year systematic review |
| title_sort | prevalence trends and distribution of lifestyle cancer risk factors in uganda a 20 year systematic review |
| topic | Cancer Lifestyle Risk-factors Prevalence Trends Surveillance |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-023-10621-y |
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