Global Journal of Health Science; Vol. 13, No. 7; 2021 ISSN 1916-9736 E-ISSN 1916-9744 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 115 An Investigation of Hypertension Risk Factors among Adults in Oshikoto Region in Namibia Emilia Shiwa Ashipala 1 & Linda Ndeshipandula Lukolo 1,2 1 Namibia Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Ministry of Health and Social Services, Windhoek, Namibia 2 Department of Community and Family medicine, School of Medicine, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia Correspondence: Linda Ndeshipandula Lukolo, Department of Community and Family medicine, School of Medicine, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia. Received: March 10, 2021 Accepted: April 26, 2021 Online Published: June 18, 2021 doi:10.5539/gjhs.v13n7p115 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/gjhs.v13n7p115 Abstract Introduction: Hypertension complications are responsible for 9.4 million deaths worldwide and among these deaths, 51 % are due to stroke and 45% are due to heart disease like heart failure. This study aims to investigate the hypertension risk factors among adult in Oshikoto region, Namibia. Methods: A community population-based, cross- sectional survey was conducted using WHO STEPwise approach among 375 adults in Oshikoto region. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was done to determine the association between risk factors and Hypertension, based on p-value <0.05. Results: Overall prevalence for risk factors was: physical inactivity (25.3%), unhealthy diet (75.7%), tobacco use (9.1%), harmful use of alcohol (40.8%). 20.5% overweight with majority (85.7%) of them were females. Obesity was 9.1% in which 91.2% were females. Hypertension prevalence was 24.3%. Four percent of individuals were having two multiple risk factors for hypertension, 2.4% with four risk factors and 1.1% with more than four risk factors. Age group (OR=2.48, 95%CI=1.44-4.26, P=0.001), Obesity (OR=3.48, 95%CI=1.55-7.79, P=0.003), and overweight (OR=2.34, 95%CI=1.31-4.19, P =0.004) were significant risk factors for hypertension. Conclusions: This study revealed a high prevalence and burden of hypertension risk factors such as obesity and overweight among adults in Oshikoto region, thus, these results highlight the need for interventions to reduce and prevent those risk factors of hypertension in Oshikoto region, Namibia. Keywords: investigation, hypertension, non-communicable diseases, risk factors, Oshikoto region. 1. Introduction and Background Namibia like other developing countries is experiencing an epidemiological health transition that is characterized by an increasing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This transition is linked to the high rate of urbanization and development strides that leads to general economic improvement in social and health indicators for the country. At the same time, urbanization has its own consequences including several personal lifestyle habits that ultimately would impact negatively on the health status of the individual. The effect of this is a shift in a spectrum of diseases that were not common in the population to even more dramatic resurgence of many non-communicable diseases (World Health Organization, 2017). NCDs results in more than 40 million deaths every year globally in which 15 million deaths were accounted for people between the ages of 30 and 70 years (Nelson, Nyarko, & Binka, 2015). Major NCDs such as cardiovascular diseases which include hypertension, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases are responsible for 71 % of deaths worldwide (WHO, 2018). In 2011 nine global targets of NCDs prevention and control were adapted in the United Nation (UN) General Assembly. The aim was to reduce premature mortality from the four major NCDs such as cardiovascular diseases (hypertension), chronic respiratory diseases, cancer and diabetes to 25% by 2025. The targets identified were salt intake, tobacco use, harmful alcohol use, obesity, raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose and physical inactivity. In 2015 World Health Organization (WHO) approach to Surveillance of NCDs Risk Factors (STEPS) was established as a global surveillance strategy in a response for trends of NCDs at country-level (WHO, 2017; WHO, 2018). Among targets of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), SDG 3 is to ensure a reduction by