Table 2.

Baseline levels of risk factors comprising the metabolic syndrome according to income group in women without the metabolic syndrome at baseline

	< $20 000 (n = 310)	$20 000–34 999 (n = 370)	$35 000– 49 999 (n = 435)	$50 000–74 999 (n = 576)	> $75 000 (n = 749)	Overall P-value
Age (years)	46.0 ± 2.7	46.1 ± 2.6	46.2 ± 2.6	46.2 ± 2.6	46.5 ± 2.7	< 0.05
Waist circumference (cm)	87.9 ± 16.8	83.0 ± 13.2	82.3 ± 14.3	81.1 ± 12.5	78.7 ± 10.9	< 0.01
HDL cholesterol (mg/dl)	57.5 ± 14.6	58.8 ± 13.4	59.0 ± 14.0	59.2 ± 12.7	61.3 ± 13.9	< 0.01
SBP (mmHg)	120.0 ± 17.6	116.5 ± 16.1	113.8 ± 14.7	113.5 ± 15.3	113.1 ± 13.8	< 0.01
DBP (mmHg)	76.5 ± 10.7	74.7 ± 10.3	73.1 ± 9.9	73.2 ± 9.9	73.5 ± 9.2	< 0.01
Fasting glucose (mg/dl)	94.0 ± 20.2	92.7 ± 18.8	90.6 ± 12.8	91.6 ± 12.5	91.3 ± 15.0	< 0.05
Triglycerides (mg/dl)	98.7 ± 46.5	94.5 ± 66.0	89.4 ± 40.5	91.7 ± 44.1	88.7 ± 39.9	< 0.05
High triglycerides (%)	7.6	7.5	5.2	7.4	7.1	0.63
High BP (%)	24.8	23.5	18.5	19.9	17.9	< 0.05
Impaired glucose (%)	4.0	4.7	2.4	3.0	2.9	0.33
Low HDL (%)	24.5	24.9	22.5	21.9	18.6	0.09
Abdominal obesity (%)	39.3	32.6	26.8	24.5	19.2	< 0.01

Means and SDs are provided for the first seven measures in the table, percentages for the remaining five measures.

High triglycerides: triglycerides ≥ 150 mg/dl.

High BP: SBP ≥ 130 mmHg or DBP ≥ 85 mmHg, or current blood pressure medication use.

Impaired glucose: fasting blood glucose ≥ 110 mg/dl or classification as diabetic.

Low HDL: HDL cholesterol level < 50 mg/dl.

Abdominal obesity: waist circumference ≥ 80 cm for Chinese and Japanese women, ≥ 88 cm for Caucasian, Hispanic and African-American women.

Varying amount of missing data on each variable; complete data on age.

BP, blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; SBP, systolic blood pressure; SD, standard deviation.