Uganda 2014 NCD risk factor STEPS survey data.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) remain the biggest contributor to global mortality. An important way to control NCDs is to focus on reducing the prevalence of the common NCD risk factors for better NCD prevention planning. Uganda conducted its first nationally representative NCD risk factor survey in 2014, and a second in 2023. We analyzed the prevalence of the common NCD risk factors to assess changes in these between 2014 and 2023. Both surveys drew countrywide samples, and the World Health Organization’s STEPS tool was used to collect the data. We calculated weighted prevalence of the following NCD risk factors: high blood pressure, high blood glucose, overweight and obesity, current alcohol consumption, current tobacco use, inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables, inadequate physical activity, and sedentariness. The 2014 survey enrolled 3987 participants, whereas the 2023 survey enrolled 3694. The risk factor prevalences that increased significantly were: high blood glucose from 1.5% in 2014 to 3.3% in 2023 (p