A national stepwise survey released yesterday by the Supreme Council of Health has found that some 70% of the Qatari population, aged between 45 and 64 years, have three or more risk factors for contracting non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The combined and prevalent risk factors for both males and females  were: daily smoking; eating less than five servings of fruit and vegetables per day; low level of physical activity; overweight (body mass index or BMI of more than 25); and raised blood pressure or currently on medication for raised BP. The survey also revealed that 45% of those aged from 18-44 years have more than three risk factors for the diseases. According to the survey, which was conducted between March and May 2012 among some 2,496 adults aged 18-64, a total of 70% of the Qatari population was found to be overweight, of which some 41% are obese with a BMI of 29.2. Qataris with high blood pressure constitute 32.9% of the population and the survey highlighted that the prevalence of diabetes is 16.7% among Qataris while an additional 21.9% have high cholesterol. The percentage of Qataris, who currently smoke tobacco is 16.4%, while that of daily smokers is 14.7% and the mean starting age for smoking is 18.9 years. On weekly consumption of fruit and vegetables, the survey found  that 91.1% of Qatari population eat less than five servings on average per day while the low physical activity percentage is 45.9%. Speaking at a press conference, Dr Alanoud Mohamed al-Thani, the NCDs manager at SCH, said: “We have carried out the survey in order to know where we stand in the prevention of NCDs apart from hoping to help the stakeholders and decision-makers in the healthcare system to determine public health priorities as well as to develop a national strategy for prevention and control of NCDs by reducing unhealthy behaviours and major risk factors.” A repeat survey is being planned for 2015, she said. Also speaking at the press conference, the SCH Public Health Department director Dr Mohamed al-Thani said the survey’s fact-sheet has been approved by the World Health Organisation. He said that the survey was held by SCH in conjunction with the Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar Diabetes Association (QDA) and the Primary Healthcare Corporation (PHC). Qatar Statistics Authority also assisted to collect, collate and evaluate key indicators for the survey, he added. QDA director Dr Abdallah al-Hamaq,  QSA Census, Household Surveys and Statistics Methods department director Nasser Saleh al-Mahdi and QSA IT department director Mansoor Ahmed al-Makki  were present at the meeting yesterday. From gulftimes