Objective: To describe the prevalence and distribution patterns of the major common risk factors
for non communicable diseases among the people living in Mombasa, Kenya.
Methods: Using the WHO STEPwise approach, risk factors for non communicable diseases were
analyzed for 305 people aged between 13 to 67 years. The study sample was arrived at through
convenient stratification of the population according to age and setting followed by random
selection of the participants.
Results: The most common individual risk factors registered were physical inactivity,
hypertension and overweight/obesity accounting for 42%, 24% and 11% of the sample
respectively. Participants who possessed a single risk factor profile were 42% and those who had
multiple risk factors were approximately 17%. Hypertension and physical inactivity were the
most common multiple risk factor pattern possessed by 7.5% of the participants who had at least
one of the investigated risk factors for CNCDs. Socio-demographic characteristics including male
gender, increasing age, being a student and low socio-economic status were found to be positive
predictors of CNCDs
Conclusion: The burden of CNCDs risk factors is unequally distributed among Mombasa
residents. The poorest quintile posses the worst risk factor profile compared to their privileged
counterparts. The implementation of WHO STEPwise approach was feasible since it revealed a
comprehensive picture of the at-risk groups thus forming a vital baseline framework for targetspecific
and cost-effective CNCDs control and prevention interventions.