RESUMO
Objective: This study aimed to establish the prevalence of risk factors (tobacco use, alcohol abuse, physical inactivity and unhealthy diet) of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among secondary school students in a developing country. Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study using the self-administered WHO STEP-wise questionnaire for chronic disease risk factor surveillance on adolescents attending secondary schools in Kenya. The study was carried out in the period between May and July 2018. Setting: Ten secondary schools were randomly selected in Uasin Gishu County, using stratified proportional sampling. Subjects: A total of 1,281 students assented to participate in the study. The mean age of the participants was 16.6 (SD±1.509) with the majority being female (55%, n=704) Results: The prevalence of alcohol abuse was 30.8%(n=394) with males having statistically significant higher rates than females (p < 0.05) and 6.8% of the participants were smokers. Of those that reported smoking, 60.9% were between 15-17 years of age. Adequate intake of three (3) servings of vegetables per day was seen in 13.5% of the respondents and 54.4% (n=697) of the total sample were found to be physically inactive. Conclusion: The prevalence of NCD risk factors among secondary school students in Uasin Gishu County is significant. As a result, health education and targeted interventions should be implemented in order to promote a healthy lifestyle which is important in preventing NCDs in future.