Socioeconomic gradients in chronic disease risk behaviors in a population-based study of older adults in rural South Africa.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the associations between household wealth, household consumption, and chronic disease risk behaviors among older adults in rural South Africa.

METHODS

Data were from baseline assessments of 5059 adults aged ≥ 40 in the population-based "Health and Aging in Africa: A Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa" in 2015. Confounder-adjusted prevalence ratios were estimated for the associations between each of household wealth and household consumption quintiles with low moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), current smoking, frequent alcohol intake, and overweight/obese body mass index (BMI).

RESULTS

Low MVPA and overweight/obese BMI were common (57% and 58%, respectively), and linearly increased in prevalence across household wealth quintiles. Low MVPA decreased and overweight/obese BMI increased in prevalence across household consumption quintiles. Smoking and frequent alcohol intake were rare (9% and 6%, respectively); they decreased in prevalence across wealth quintiles, but did not vary by consumption quintile.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic disease risk behaviors are socioeconomically graded among older, rural South African adults. The high prevalence of overweight and obesity in rural South Africa is a public health concern requiring urgent attention.