Hypertension and Diabetes in Dhaka North City Corporation: Evidence on Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Intervention Strategies

Hypertension and diabetes are major contributors to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in rapidly urbanizing low- and middle-income countries [1–4, 6, 8]. Urban environments such as Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) promote sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy dietary patterns, chronic stress, and delayed access to healthcare [14–17, 26–29, 36–38], all of which increase the risk of these conditions and their complications. This cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes among 473 adult patients attending health facilities in DNCC and examined associated demographic and lifestyle risk factors. Hypertension was identified in 68% of participants, diabetes in 61%, and co-existing disease in 47%. Obesity, physical inactivity, high consumption of processed foods, chronic stress, and delayed diagnosis were significantly prevalent risk factors. The most common complications observed were cardiovascular disease (29%), chronic kidney disease (18%), and retinopathy (12%). These findings highlight the urgent need for integrated urban health interventions focusing on early disease screening, lifestyle modification, and strengthening of primary healthcare services. Policy-driven urban health reforms aligned with the WHO HEARTS framework are essential for sustainable disease control [9, 34, 41, 42]. Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes among 473 adult patients in Dhaka North City Corporation and to identify major demographic and lifestyle-related risk factors to inform appropriate prevention and management strategies. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in a selected sample of public and private health facilities in Dhaka North City Corporation. Clinical assessments and structured questionnaires covering demographic characteristics, lifestyle behaviors, dietary patterns, and access to healthcare services were the main sources of data collection. The associations between certain risk factors and the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes were the subject of statistical analyses. Results: Among the participants, 68% were suffering from hypertension while 61% had diabetes as the disease of the study population. The two conditions were simultaneous in 47% of the participants. Out of the total sample size of 100%, 55% were men, and the maximum prevalence was in the age group of 45–60 years. Among the populous, the main contributors were overweight (42%), sedentary lifestyle (38%), and diet rich in processed foods (55%). Moreover, chronic stress and late diagnosis were also quite frequently seen. The major complications that arose were among the cardiovascular disease (29%), chronic kidney disease (18%), and retinopathy (12%) patients. Conclusion: Hypertension and diabetes represent a substantial public health burden in Dhaka North City Corporation, driven by urban-specific factors such as sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy dietary practices, chronic stress, and delayed diagnosis. The findings underscore the need for routine screening programs, public health education, improved access to affordable healthcare, and policy-driven urban health interventions to reduce the long-term burden of these conditions.