The STEPS Noncommunicable Disease Risk Factors Survey uses a survey methodology developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to help countries establish noncommunicable disease surveillance systems. Some surveys are conducted at the country level and others at the subnational level. The methodology prescribes three steps—questionnaire, physical measurements, and biochemical measurements. Core topics covered by most surveys are demographics, health status, and health behaviors. These provide data on socioeconomic risk factors and metabolic, nutritional, and lifestyle risk factors. Details may differ from country to country and from year to year.

For this round, the second one in Uruguay, the age range of the sample was expanded to include participants ages 15-24. A total of 2,462 participants participated in the first step of the survey.