Table 1 Characteristics of participants (95% Confidence Interval)

Age (years) †

50.8 (49.8, 51.2)

50.7 (49.8, 51.5)

Marital status (%)

   - Married/de facto (living together as a couple)

61.6 (58.9, 64.3)

56.3 (54.0, 58.7)

   - Separated/divorced/widowed

17.2 (15.1, 19.3)

28.9 (26.8, 31.1)

   - Never Married

21.1 (18.8, 23.3)

14.8 (13.1, 16.5)

Highest education level(%)

   - Bachelor degree or higher

16.3 (14.2, 18.4)

16.7 (14.9, 18.5)

   - Certificate/diploma

18.5 (16.3, 20.6)

28.0 (25.9, 31.1)

   - Trade/apprenticeship

25.7 (23.2, 28.1)

3.9 (3.0, 4.8)

   - Left school after age 15 years or still studying

24.8 (22.3, 27.8)

32.5 (30.3, 34.7)

   - Left school before age 15 years

13.7 (11.8, 15.6)

18.3 (16.4, 20.1)

Annual household income (AUD) (%)

   - up to 20,000

18.2 (16.0, 20.3)

26.0 (23.9, 28.1)

   - 20,001 - 40,000

21.9 (19.6, 24.2)

20.0 (18.1, 21.9)

   - 40,001 - 60,000

18.3 (16.2, 20.5)

17.0 (15.2, 18.8)

   - 60,000 or more

32.7 (30.1, 35.3)

26.3 (24.2, 28.4)

Weight (kg) †

84.2 (83.3, 85.0)

69.9 (69.1, 70.6)**

Height (cm) †

177.0 (176.6, 177.4)

163.0 (162.7, 163.4)**

BMI (kg/m²) †

26.9 (26.6, 27.2)

26.3 (26.1, 26.6)

BMI Categories (%)

   - Underweight (BMI < 18.5)

1.0 (0.5, 1.6)

3.0 (2.2, 3.8)**

   - Acceptable weight (BMI 18.5 - 24.9)

32.9 (30.3, 35.5)

41.5 (39.2, 43.8)**

   - Overweight (BMI 25 - 29.9)

41.5 (38.8, 44.2)

25.8 (23.7, 27.9)**

   - Obese (BMI ≥ 30)

19.0 (16.8, 21.2)

20.1 (18.2, 22.0)

   - Missing‡

9.6 (8.0, 11.2)

5.6 (4.5, 6.7)**

High blood pressure (%)

29.5 (27.0, 32.0)

34.8 (32.5, 37.1)**

   - On medication (%)

69.0 (64.3, 73.7)

65.3 (61.5, 69.1)

   - Advised to reduce salt intake (%)

37.5 (32.5, 42.5)

31.0 (27.3, 34.7)