GLOBAL JOURNAL OF MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH 1 www.gjmedph.org Vol. 4, No. 2 2015 ISSN#- 2277-9604 Modifiable life style associated risk factors for non communicable diseases among students of pre-university college of Udupi taluk Shradha S Parsekar *1 , Lena Ashok 1 , Ashma D Monteiro 2 , Mannat M Singh 1 , Bhumika T.V 1 ABSTRACT Background Non-communicable diseases are diseases of longer period and are increasing. This study was intended to find out the proportion of adolescents having modifiable life style associated risk factors. Materials and methods A cross sectional study was carried out in 15 pre-university colleges (PUC) of Udupi taluk, which were randomly selected, a class from each PUC was randomly chosen. WHO stepwise approach was used to collect data. A total of 838 adolescents in the age group 15 to 19 years were included. Data was analysed using SPSS software version 15. Chi square test was used to find the association. Results Current smoking was found in 1.67% of the participants. Nearly 16.94% participants were exposed to second hand smoke. About 2.15% of the participants were current alcohol drinkers. Junk food consumption was found in 64.08% of the participants. About 89.86% of the participants were physically inactive. Nearly 31.98% of the participants reported adding extra salt to the diet. Conclusion The behavioural risk factors investigated in the present study are potentially modifiable; identifying subgroups having one or multiple risk factors at an early age is of extreme importance for preventing risk of acquiring chronic diseases in adult life. Keywords: Risk Factors, Chronic Non Communicable Diseases, Adolescents, Pre University College INTRODUCTION Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are swiftly surpassing infectious diseases and malnutrition as the foremost causes of disability and early death. NCDs indirectly affect country’s economic growth through loss of income and investments as it is the major cause of deaths among people in their productive years. NCD also adds on to the financial burden on a country due to the growing price of treatments. Increase in ageing population, changed lifestyle, speedy urbanization and financial expansion of a country and advancement in technology has brought in epidemiologic transition. 1 Chronic Non Communicable Diseases (CNCD) are the diseases of longer period and develop slowly. CNCDs GJMEDPH 2015; Vol. 4, issue 2 1 Department of Public Health, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India 2 Department of Statistics, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India *Corresponding Author: Shradha S Parsekar Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India shraddhagoa@rediffmail.com Telephone Number: +919591176721 Conflict of Interest—none Funding—none