Appendix 7. Physical health profile

In the tables below, metabolic syndrome has been defined using the International Diabetes Federation metabolic syndrome consensus definition of at risk abdominal obesity based on waist circumference and at least two other at risk measures.¹³

The definitions of "at risk" for the individual components of metabolic syndrome are:

• waist circumference greater than or equal to 94 cm for males, greater than or equal to 80cm for females;
• fasting high density lipoproteins less than 1.03mmol/L for males, less than 1.29mmol/L for females;
• fasting triglycerides greater than or equal to 1.7mmol/L;
• fasting plasma glucose greater than or equal to 5.6mmol/L;
• systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 130 mmHg; and
• diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 85 mmHg.

Absolute five-year cardiovascular risk was calculated using the Framingham risk equation^{15, 16}. In line with National Vascular Disease Prevention Alliance guidelines¹⁶ for the assessment of absolute cardiovascular disease, high risk was assumed automatically for those with: pre-existing cardiovascular disease; diabetes and aged over 60 years; systolic blood pressure of 180 mmHg or more; diastolic blood pressure of 110 mmHg or more; or total serum cholesterol higher than 7.5 mmol/L. Other conditions covered in the guidelines could not be included as survey data were not available for them.

The World Health Organisation body mass index reference range, widely used in Australia, has been used to classify overweight and obesity as follows:

• underweight: body mass index less than 18.5;
• normal: body mass index between 18.5 and 24.99;
• overweight: body mass index between 25.00 and 29.99; and
• obese: body mass index greater than or equal to 30.00.¹⁷

Data on level of physical activity were collected using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire¹⁸ and have been classified according to Australian Bureau of Statistics categories used in the 2007 National Mental Health Survey.¹⁹

Appendix Table 7-1. Self-reported physical ill health, as told by doctor in lifetime

			Males Proportion (%)	Females Proportion (%)	Age 18-34 years Proportion (%)	Age 35-64 years Proportion (%)	Persons Proportion (%)
Chronic back, neck or other pain			28.7	36.3	21.7	39.2	31.8
Asthma			26.9	34.8	29.8	30.3	30.1
High cholesterol			27.1	32.5	19.4	36.6	29.3
Heart or ciculatory condition			26.0	28.0	17.6	33.7	26.8
Allergies			21.2	33.1	22.9	28.2	26.0
Frequent/severe headaches/migraines			21.6	30.9	21.5	28.2	20.8
Arthritis			16.7	26.8	10.7	28.2	20.8
Diabetes			19.4	22.1	11.5	27.1	20.5
Respiratory problems			16.8	19.6	12.9	21.7	18.0
Anaemia			4.2	27.0	9.4	16.3	13.4
Hepatitis			12.7	8.9	8.9	12.8	11.2
Eating disorder			2.9	15.6	8.5	7.6	8.0
Epilepsy			7.7	6.8	6.3	8.1	7.3
Cancer			2.9	7.9	1.4	7.5	4.9
Liver disease other than hepatitis			4.4	4.6	2.3	6.1	4.5
Kidney disease			2.6	3.9	2.1	3.9	3.1
Stroke			2.0	2.3	0.1	3.6	2.1
Parkinsons's disease			0.2	0.5	0.0	0.6	0.3
Gynaecological problems (women only)			-	27.1	26.1	27.7	27.1
Other			7.3	12.1	6.5	11.2	9.2

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Appendix Table 7-2. Metabolic syndrome and cardiometabolic risk factors assessed at time of interview

Age of onset (years)	Males Proportion (%)	Females Proportion (%)	Age 18-34 years Proportion (%)	Age 35-64 years Proportion (%)	Persons Proportion (%)
Met criteria for metabolic syndrome*	49.9	50.0	40.9	56.4	49.9
Met at risk criteria for individual cardiometabolic measures:
Abdominal obesity	76.1	91.2	74.5	87.7	82.1
High density lipoproteins†	48.4	51.8	50.3	49.3	49.7
Blood pressure	51.4	44.8	40.7	54.7	48.8
Triglycerides†	51.3	43.2	40.5	53.5	48.0
Plasma glucose†	30.6	25.6	20.4	34.6	28.6

* International Diabetes Federation metabolic syndrome consensus criteria¹³ applied to those with no missing data.
† Fasting blood tests.

Appendix Table 7-3. Absolute 5-year cardiovascular disease risk*

	Males Proportion (%)	Females Proportion (%)	Age 18-34 years Proportion (%)	Age 35-64 years Proportion (%)	Persons Proportion (%)
Low risk	66.6	72.1	87.2	56.3	68.8
Medium risk	9.4	3.8	0.0	12.0	7.2
High risk	24.0	24.2	12.8	31.7	24.0

*Framingham risk equation^15-16 applied to those with no missing data

Appendix Table 7-4. Body Mass Index¹⁷

	Males Proportion (%)	Females Proportion (%)	Age 18-34 years Proportion (%)	Age 35-64 years Proportion (%)	Persons Proportion (%)
Underweight	1.2	1.8	2.8	0.4	1.4
Normal	23.0	21.5	28.1	18.3	22.4
Overweight	32.4	22.2	28.7	27.9	28.3
Obese	41.6	50.3	37.8	50.5	45.1
Not known	1.8	4.2	2.6	2.9	2.8

Appendix Table 7-5. Level of physical activity* in past 7 days

	Males Proportion (%)	Females Proportion (%)	Age 18-34 years Proportion (%)	Age 35-64 years Proportion (%)	Persons Proportion (%)
Sedentary	32.3	35.2	28.6	37.1	33.5
Low	63.3	62.3	66.1	60.6	62.9
Moderate	3.7	1.9	4.4	1.9	3.0
High	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.3
Not known	0.4	0.3	0.6	0.1	0.3

* Classified using categories from the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing¹⁹Top of page

Appendix Table 7-6. Nutrition in past 4 weeks

		Males Proportion (%)	Females Proportion (%)	Age 18-34 years Proportion (%)	Age 35-64 years Proportion (%)	Persons Proportion (%)
Breakfast: Does not have breakfast		34.0	32.5	34.2	32.9	33.4
Fruit: Does not eat fruit		26.4	17.5	24.2	21.8	22.8
Fruit: One serve or less per day		48.3	48.2	49.8	47.1	48.3
Vegetables: Does not eat vegetables		7.9	5.8	7.9	6.5	7.1
Vegetables: One serve or less per day		44.2	37.7	43.5	40.1	41.5
Ran out of food (past year)		28.1	29.0	30.0	27.3	28.4

Appendix Table 7-7. Physical health assessment in past year

			Males Proportion (%)	Females Proportion (%)	Age 18-34 years Proportion (%)	Age 35-64 years Proportion (%)	Persons Proportion (%)
In past year: blood pressure measurement			84.8	86.7	83.2	87.4	85.6
In past year: waist or weight measurement			77.3	76.2	73.9	79.0	76.8
In past year: physical examination			66.1	69.0	62.0	71.2	67.3
In past year: blood test			63.7	62.7	57.4	67.6	63.3
In past year: dental examination			44.5	50.7	47.1	47.0	47.0
In past year: x-ray or scan			40.0	46.6	41.3	43.7	42.7
In past year: eye test			33.4	38.6	29.8	39.7	35.5
In past year: hearing test			11.1	10.7	7.9	13.2	11.0
In past two years: bowel examination			11.9	16.1	7.2	18.3	13.6
In past two years: cervical smear (women only)			-	55.0	52.6	56.4	55.0
In past two years: mammogram (women only)			-	23.8	8.6	32.6	23.8
In past two years: prostate cancer screen (men only)			13.8	-	3.8	22.5	13.8

Appendix Table 7-8. Different types of physical health assessments in past year

	Males Proportion (%)	Females Proportion (%)	Age 18-34 years Proportion (%)	Age 35-64 years Proportion (%)	Persons Proportion (%)
Mean	4	4	4	4	4
Median	4	5	4	5	4