SuRF (Surveillance of Risk Factors)

SuRF (Surveillance of Risk Factors)

In May 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the SuRF (Surveillance of Risk Factors) Report 1 which for the first time captured chronic disease country risk factor profiles from 170 Member States. This was the first step in a major ongoing initiative to bring noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular disease, cancers, diabetes and respiratory conditions, under control.

The SurF2 report, which is now available on the WHO website, updates the Country Profiles provided by SuRF1 in 2003.

SuRF2 also presents, for the first time, comparable country-level estimates for raised blood pressure, obesity, and overweight.

The risk factors included in this report are those that make the greatest contribution to mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular disease, can be changed through primary intervention and are easily measured in populations.