An accomplished academician and healthcare professional with over 23 years of experience in the education and healthcare sectors, specializing in Community Medicine. Possesses extensive expertise in teaching, academic administration, curriculum development, research, and student mentoring at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Skilled in guiding MD Community Medicine students in thesis and dissertation work, while fostering academic excellence through innovative teaching methodologies. Experienced in organizing conferences, academic events, and professional collaborations within the healthcare and academic communities. Adept at public speaking, research data analysis, and utilizing modern educational and epidemiological tools, with a strong commitment to advancing public health education and healthcare practices.

A Cross-Sectional Study on Riskfactors of Non-Communicable Diseases in Telangana, India Introduction                                       India is a populous country of about 1.3 billion. Non communicable diseases (NCDs) contribute to around 5.87 million (60%) of all deaths in India. Hence, the objectives of this paper are to find baseline information on different NCD risk factors coverage and to determine their trends in India. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) encompass a vast group of diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases. NCDs contribute to around 38 million (68%) of all the deaths globally and to about 5.87 million (60%) of all deaths in India. Four NCDs mainly responsible for the total NCD mortality and morbidity are cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory disease, cancers and diabetes, contributing to about 82% of all NCD deaths (World Health Organization - WHO, 2014). WHO in its World Health Assembly in May 2008 put forth an Action Plan of Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of NCDs. India also, as a WHO member state, is committed to implementing the same and taking the required steps and initiative to meet the objectives . As part of this plan, India has developed and is gradually developing a wide number of national public health programs. It has also performed various periodic surveys, both at the national and subnational/state levels, which directly or indirectly target NCDs (Chakma and Gupta, 2014). Few examples of these surveys are the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) etc. However, these are associated with a number of shortcomings, which need to be addressed in order to improvise NCD control in India. A similar study demonstrating the availability of data regarding NCD risk factors in India was published in 2012 by Raban et al, however without the representation and/or analysis of the same. Various authors have also published systematic reviews demonstrating trends in these surveys (which have been discussed subsequently) however only for one or few more risk factors, thereby rendering them non-comprehensive and incomplete. Also, these details regarding trends of NCD risk factors prevalence are available only upto 2012 (example: trend analysis of National Sample Survey Organization - NSSO surveys held between 1999-2012, for tobacco use prevalence by Bhan et al., 2016). For NFHS, previously, prevalence trends for tobacco consumption and overweight and obesity have been determined through data from 1998 to 2006; however, here this information has been updated till 2016. Thus, this paper examines the epidemiology and data availability of all the NCD risk factors. India being a populous country of about 1.3 billion, contributes to more than 2/3rd of the total deaths due to NCDs in the South-East Asia Region (SEAR) of WHO (WHO, 2014; United Nations Statistics Division). As per the 2011 report on NCD status in SEAR, raised BP, raised blood glucose and tobacco use were the three major risk factors responsible for majority of deaths annually in this region. The prevalence of raised BP was greater in Myanmar (highest – 42%), Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Thailand as compared to that in India (about 35%); however, Nepal, Maldives, Bangladesh and Democratic Republic of Korea (lowest -19%) showed a relatively lesser prevalence of the same. For raised blood glucose (diabetes), Bhutan showed the highest prevalence i.e. 12-13% and India, second highest i.e. 11%, among the SEAR countries. The prevalence of smoked tobacco products use was slightly lesser in Sri Lanka (14.1%) while it was much higher in Thailand (24%), Bangladesh (24%), Myanmar (24%), Maldives (27%), Nepal (32%) and Indonesia (highest - 33%), as compared to in India (15%). The prevalence of smokeless tobacco (SLT) products usagewas higher in India (25.9%) as compared to that in Thailand (1.3%), Sri Lanka (15.8%), Nepal (18.6%) and Bhutan (19.4%); however, Bangladesh (27.2%) and Myanmar (51.4%) showed relatively higher SLT consumption than in India (WHO, 2011). The majority of NCD deaths occur in low and middle-income countries such as India, which is undergoing an epidemiological health transition owing to rapid urbanization, which in turn has led to an overall economic rise, but with certain associated flipsides (risk factors) (Chakma and Gupta, 2014). A risk factor is defined as “An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, an environmental exposure, or a hereditary characteristic that is associated with an increase in the occurrence of a particular disease, injury, or other health condition” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006). These behavioral and biological risk factors, with a predisposition to the development of NCDs, are use of tobacco and alcohol, physical inactivity, overweight and obesity, increased fat and sodium intake, low fruit and vegetable intake, raised blood pressure (BP), blood glucose and cholesterol levels (WHO, 2013). Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are responsible for approximately \(65\%\) of all mortality in India, driven by rapid urbanization and lifestyle shifts. Prevention relies on a dual approach: community-wide public health policies to modify environments and targeted clinical interventions to manage metabolic risk factors and promote behavioral changes.  India is undergoing an epidemiological transition where cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, and chronic respiratory diseases have become leading causes of death. This escalating burden is largely fueled by preventable behavioral risk factors (tobacco and alcohol use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity) and metabolic risk factors (obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia). Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of NCD risk factors in the Indian populace and to identify effective prevention and management strategies at both individual and systemic levels. Methods: The analysis examines cross-sectional data, national surveys, and WHO reports identifying major risk indicators within Indian demographics. It evaluates the efficacy of preventive measures ranging from lifestyle modifications to macro-level health policies. Results: Key risk factors prevalent in the Indian population include high rates of physical inactivity (often \(>50\%\) in surveyed urban populations), insufficient fruit/vegetable intake, and rising rates of tobacco and alcohol consumption. These are heavily correlated with metabolic abnormalities such as hypertension,diabetes. Conclusion: Preventing NCDs in India requires a multi-sectoral approach. Primary prevention through lifestyle changes and early screening must be coupled with structural interventions like taxation on unhealthy commodities, improved public infrastructure for physical activity, and strengthening government initiatives.  Core Risk Factors in India•    Behavioral: Tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and diets high in salt, sugar, and trans-fats.•    Metabolic: Overweight/obesity, elevated blood pressure, raised blood glucose, and abnormal blood lipids. •    Primary Prevention Strategies•    Lifestyle Modifications: Adopting a well-balanced diet, engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, and abstaining from tobacco and excessive alcohol. •    National Programs: The Government of India operates the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), which focuses on early diagnosis, health promotion, and community-based interventions•    Policy Interventions: Implementing structural societal changes—such as higher taxation on ultra-processed foods and tobacco, advertising bans, and creating active community spaces—to help citizens make healthier choices.  Inclusion Criteria – studies/surveys which are national (representative of states or nationally representative), multiple-state representative or single state representative; surveys following the WHO indicator definitions for each risk factor; surveys covering both rural and urban population; manuscripts in English language:1. Tobacco use - of any tobacco form in last 30 days (WHO, 2008).2. Alcohol use - at least once previously in 30 days (WHO, 2008).3. Physical inactivity - adults aged 18+ years not meeting any of these criteria: 150 minutes of moderate-or 75 minutes of vigorous or an equivalent combination of both types of physical activity accumulating atleast 600 MET (Metabolic Equivalent - ratio of a person’s working metabolic rate relative to the resting metabolic rate) minutes per week (WHO, 2013)4. Salt Intake – >5 gm (2 gm sodium) (WHO, 2012).5. Low fruit and/or vegetables consumption - <5 servings (400 grams) per day (WHO, 2013).6. Raised blood pressure - Systolic blood pressure ≥140 and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 among persons aged 18+ years (WHO, 2013).7. Raised blood glucose - an adult aged 18+ years with fasting plasma glucose value ≥7.0 mmol/L (126 mg/dl) or on medication for it (WHO, 2013).8. Overweight and Obesity- Body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m2 denotes overweight and ≥ 30 kg/m2 denotes obesity in adults aged 18+ years (WHO, 2013).9. Increased saturated fat consumption - intake >150 mg/dL (WHO, 2013).10. Raised cholesterol - if >5.0 mmol/L (190 mg/dl) (WHO, 2013).» Exclusion Criteria – studies not set in India; surveys which are multiple or single state non-representative; surveys not following the WHO indicator definitions; surveys not covering both the rural and urban population; documents in languages other than English. In total, 10 eligible surveys were identified through the aforementioned literature search.Thereafter, state-wise population proportion was added and divided by the total Indian population to determine the percentage of population coverage for each risk factor by the surveys. The population count for all the Indian states and UTs are available in the Population Projection Report 2006 by the Office of the Registrar Generaland Census Commissioner, India – RGI (RGI, 2006). Also, the old and current data of the periodic surveys were compared to assess prevalence trends. Conclusion: India has a much delayed response on NCD risk factors surveillance and information of the same are sporadic and incomplete. In order to increase information comprehensiveness, standard WHO NCD risk factors questions must be incorporated in the ongoing surveys. India should also plan for cost and time effective NCD surveillance system. Keywords: Chronic disease, India, Risk factors