| Abstract |
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, are emerging as major health problems in sub-Saharan Africa, including Uganda. To help inform future prevention and treatment for NCDs in these populations, it will be important to identify and understand the risk factors that may influence the development of NCDs in African populations. The overall aim of the study is to assess the patterns and distributions of these risk factors, and their interrelation with infectious factors, in Ugandan populations. Our objectives are to characterise the variation in circulating blood risk factors such as cholesterol, glucose, genetic markers and obesity in up to 15,000 people from urban and rural areas of Uganda. The study will help provide a greater understanding of diseases in African populations, informing potential therapies. Importantly, the study will provide estimates of the prevalence of NCDs, such as type 2 diabetes. This information will provide the the basis for health policy and public health programmes aimed at addressing the rise of NCDs in Uganda. It may also inform public health strategies in other African countries. |
