Prevalence of noncommunicable disease risk factors in Republic of Belarus. STEPS 2016 (2017)

In the Republic of Belarus, as in other countries, NCDs remain the main cause of morbidity, disability and premature mortality. The most efficient measures to reduce the NCD burden are to prevent NCD development, namely, impacting the behavioral risk factors of NCDs on the population and individual levels: smoking, alcohol drinking, excessive salt intake, low physical activity, overweight, unhealthy diets.

In the Republic of Belarus, a national survey on the prevalence of major NCD risk factors in the country’s population aged 18-69 years (STEPS survey) has been conducted for the first time. The survey results will enable to draw an objective view of the current situation regarding the prevalence of the NCD risk factors among the adult population of the country and will determine approaches to NCD prevention in the Republic of Belarus for the coming years.