Chowdhury Rajiv, Khan Nusrat, Pennells Lisa, Iurilli Maria L C, Uddin Miah Md Taslim, Monower Md Mostafa, Rahman Khan Mohammad Thouhidur, Samin Sharraf, Saqeeb Kazi Nazmus, Tasmin Ishrat, Farrow Eleanor, Farrow Samantha, Michielsen Ank, Perry Catherine, Spackman Sarah, van Coeverden Charlotte, Walker Matthew, Ahmed Tahmeed, Ajioka James, Awal Khondker Abdul Abdul, Butterworth Adam S, Chatzidiakou Evangelia, Feldmann Jörg, Fenner Richard, Flora Meerjady Sabrina, Haque Tuhin, Hawkes Sarah, Islam Syed Shariful, Islam Sirajul, Jones Roderic L, Kaptoge Stephen, Khan Kamrul Hasan, King Lawrence, Luhar Shammi, Malik Abdul, Malik Fazila-Tun-Nesa, Naved Ruchira T, Naheed Aliya, Popoola Olalekan, Raqib Rubhana, Shirin Tahmina, Sutton Stephen, van Daalen Kim Robin, Wood Angela, Griffin Simon, Mascie Taylor Nicholas, Khalequzzaman Md, Khan Md Alfazal, Choudhury Sohel Reza, Di Angelantonio Emanuele, Danesh John
Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA.
Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
BMJ Open. 2025 Jan 22;15(1):e088338. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-088338.
Bangladesh has experienced a rapid epidemiological transition from communicable to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in recent decades. There is, however, limited evidence about multidimensional determinants of NCDs in this population. The BangladEsh Longitudinal Investigation of Emerging Vascular and nonvascular Events (BELIEVE) study is a household-based prospective cohort study established to investigate biological, behavioural, environmental and broader determinants of NCDs.
Between January 2016 and March 2020, 73 883 participants (aged 11 years or older) were recruited from 30 817 households across urban, urban-poor ('slum') and rural settings in Bangladesh. A structured questionnaire was administered by trained personnel recording participants' demographic, socioeconomic, behavioural, medical, environmental and other factors. Anthropometric measurements and blood pressure were recorded for each participant. Biological specimens were collected and aliquoted for long-term storage and analysis.
Of the 73 883 study participants (mean [SD] baseline age: 39 [15] years), 43 470 (59%) were females, and 38 848 (52%) had no or only primary-level education. Focusing only on the 65 822 adult participants aged 20-79 years at baseline, 15 411 (23%) reported being diagnosed with hypertension; 10 578 (16%) with type 2 diabetes and 7624 (12%) with hypercholesterolaemia. Age and sex-standardised prevalences of these conditions were much higher in urban than slum and rural settings. Overall, the mean (SD) body mass index (BMI) was 25 (5) kg/m, with 10 442 (16%) participants aged 20-79, classified as obese (ie, BMI≥30 kg/m). Mean BMI was also higher in urban than slum and rural areas.
The collection of information during the baseline visit was completed in 2020. Regular longitudinal follow-up is ongoing for ascertainment and adjudication of a range of fatal and non-fatal health outcomes among participants. This cohort will provide a powerful resource to investigate multidimensional determinants of incident NCDs across diverse settings in Bangladesh, helping to advance scientific discovery and public health action in an archetypal low-middle-income country with pressing public health needs.
近几十年来，孟加拉国经历了从传染病到非传染性疾病（NCDs）的快速流行病学转变。然而，关于该国非传染性疾病多维度决定因素的证据有限。孟加拉国新兴血管和非血管事件纵向调查（BELIEVE）研究是一项基于家庭的前瞻性队列研究，旨在调查非传染性疾病的生物学、行为、环境及更广泛的决定因素。
2016年1月至2020年3月期间，从孟加拉国城市、城市贫困地区（“贫民窟”）和农村地区的30817户家庭中招募了73883名参与者（年龄在11岁及以上）。由经过培训的人员发放结构化问卷，记录参与者的人口统计学、社会经济、行为、医疗、环境及其他因素。记录了每位参与者的人体测量数据和血压。采集了生物样本并进行分装以便长期保存和分析。
在73883名研究参与者中（平均[标准差]基线年龄：39[15]岁），43470名（59%）为女性，38848名（52%）未接受教育或仅接受过小学教育。仅关注基线时年龄在20 - 79岁的65822名成年参与者，15411名（23%）报告被诊断患有高血压；10578名（16%）患有2型糖尿病，7624名（12%）患有高胆固醇血症。这些疾病的年龄和性别标准化患病率在城市地区远高于贫民窟和农村地区。总体而言，平均（标准差）体重指数（BMI）为25（5）kg/m²，年龄在20 - 79岁的10442名（16%）参与者被归类为肥胖（即BMI≥30kg/m²）。城市地区的平均BMI也高于贫民窟和农村地区。
2020年完成了基线访视期间的信息收集。目前正在进行定期纵向随访，以确定和判定参与者中一系列致命和非致命健康结局。该队列将为调查孟加拉国不同环境中新增非传染性疾病的多维度决定因素提供强大资源，有助于在一个有紧迫公共卫生需求的典型低收入和中等收入国家推动科学发现和公共卫生行动。
