Prevalence of risk factors for noncommunicable diseases in an indigenous community in Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala

Abstract

Santiago Atitlán is a rural, indigenous Guatemalan community with high rates of poverty and stunting coexisting alongside high rates of obesity, particularly among women. Additionally, high rates of hypertension and dyslipidemia were found, but a low rate of diabetes mellitus. Knowledge of NCDs and their risk factors was low, suggesting that educational interventions may be a high-yield, low-cost approach to combating NCDs in this community.