Arq. Bras. Cardiol. 2019; 113(4): 710-711

Co-occurrence of Cardiometabolic Disease Risk Factors: Unhealthy Eating, Tobacco, Alcohol, Sedentary Lifestyle and Socioeconomic Aspects

Maury-Sintjago Eduard , Parra-Flores Julio, Rodríguez-Fernández Alejandra

DOI: 10.5935/abc.20190213

This Short Editorial is referred by the Research article "Co-occurrence of Smoking and Unhealthy Diet in the Brazilian Adult Population".

Cardiometabolic disease (CMD) is the principal cause of morbi-mortality worldwide. The risk factors in the development of CMD are diverse; understanding them significantly contributes to the design of clinical and/or community strategies for their prevention and/or treatment. An unhealthy diet, cigarette smoking, sedentary lifestyle, and higher alcohol consumption significantly increase the risk of CMD, cancer, loss of healthy life years, and premature mortality.

In a systematic review by Meader et al., 37 studies were proposed in order to evaluate risk behaviors such as smoking, physical inactivity, and unhealthy diet by a meta-analysis. A greater association was found when groups of risk factors co-existed (≥ 4) compared with individual risk factors. Alcohol abuse and smoking were the most commonly identified risk factors. They also reported that the socioeconomic level is a predictor of multiple risks. On the other hand, in a cohort study of more than 20 years, mortality associated with 1, 2, 3, or 4 risk factors was 1.85 (C I 95%, 1.28-2.68), 2.23 (CI 95%, 1.55-3.20), 2.76 (CI 95%, 1.91-3.99), and 3.49 (CI 95%, 2.31-5.26), respectively. The risk of mortality by CMD was higher than for other causes of death such as cancer.

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