Table 1.
Descriptive characteristics of study participants.
| Total Sample (n = 50) |
Males (n = 17) |
Females (n = 33) |
p-Value * | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socio-Demographics | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | |
| Age (years) | 38.5 (13.9) | 33.4 (11.6) | 41.2 (14.4) | 0.058 |
| Education (years) | 17.3 (3.5) | 17.4 (3.7) | 17.2 (3.5) | 0.895 |
| Highest Level of Education | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | 0.241 |
| Secondary School | 2 (4.0) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (6.1) | |
| Tertiary | 43 (86.0) | 17 (100.0) | 26 (78.8) | |
| Trade | 2 (4.0) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (6.1) | |
| Other | 3 (6.0) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (9.1) | |
| Country of Birth | 0.798 | |||
| Australia, NZ, Pacific Islanders | 35 (70.0) | 11 (64.7) | 24 (72.7) | |
| Europe | 5 (10.0) | 2 (11.8) | 3 (9.1) | |
| South America | 4 (8.0) | 1 (5.9) | 3 (9.1) | |
| Middle East and Asia | 6 (12.0) | 3 (17.6) | 3 (9.1) | |
| Anthropometrics | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | |
| Height (cm) | 168.9 (9.6) | 179.3 (6.8) | 163.6 (5.8) | <0.001 |
| Weight (Kg) | 70.7 (12.8) | 79.6 (9.6) | 66.1 (11.9) | <0.001 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 24.7 (3.5) | 24.7 (2.4) | 24.6 (3.9) | 0.915 |
| Waist Circumference (cm) | 86.9 (11.2) | 88.9 (8.7) | 85.9 (12.3) | 0.364 |
| Weight Status Categories † | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | |
| Underweight | 1 (2.0) | 1 (3.0) | 0 (0) | 0.649 |
| Normal Weight | 25 (50.0) | 16 (48.5) | 9 (52.9) | |
| Overweight | 22 (44.0) | 14 (42.4) | 8 (47.1) | |
| Obese | 2 (4.0) | 2 (6.1) | 0 (0) | |
| Waist Circumference Categories ‡ | ||||
| Normal | 25 (50.0) | 13 (39.4) | 12 (70.6) | 0.105 |
| High Risk | 8 (16.0) | 6 (18.2) | 2 (11.8) | |
| Very High Risk | 17 (34.0) | 14 (42.4) | 3 (17.6) | |
| Hemodynamic Indices | ||||
| Peripheral Blood Pressure | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | |
| Peripheral SBP (mmHg) | 120.0 (13.4) | 121.7 (9.1) | 119.1 (15.2) | 0.454 |
| Peripheral DBP (mmHg) | 69.9 (8.4) | 69.7 (8.9) | 70.0 (8.3) | 0.904 |
| Peripheral Blood Pressure Categories § | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | |
| Normal Blood Pressure | 27 (54.0) | 20 (60.6) | 7 (41.2) | 0.399 |
| Elevated Blood Pressure | 9 (18.0) | 4 (12.1) | 5 (29.4) | |
| Hypertension Stage 1 | 10 (20.0) | 6 (18.2) | 4 (23.5) | |
| Hypertension Stage 2 | 4 (8.0) | 3 (9.1) | 1 (5.9) | |
| Central Blood Pressure | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | |
| Central Aortic SBP (mmHg) | 106.8 (13.3) | 106.9 (8.5) | 106.8 (15.3) | 0.971 |
| Central Aortic DBP (mmHg) | 70.6 (8.7) | 70.3 (9.1) | 70.8 (9.7) | 0.843 |
| Pulse Pressure (mmHg) | 36.0 (8.9) | 36.2 (7.9) | 35.9 (9.5) | 0.930 |
| Heart Rate (bpm) | 61.5 (10.2) | 58.1 (8.9) | 63.2 (10.4) | 0.092 |
| Systemic Arterial Stiffness | ||||
| Augmented Pressure (mmHg) | 6.8 (6.8) | 4.8 (4.2) | 7.8 (7.6) | 0.077 |
| Augmented Index (%) | 16.6 (14.9) | 12.2 (9.4) | 18.9 (16.8) | 0.077 |
| Pulse Wave Velocity (m/s) | 9.5 (1.4) | 9.5 (1.3) | 9.5 (1.5) | 0.933 |
* p-values were derived from the Student’s t-test for continuous variables and from the chi-square test for categorical variables. Results in bold indicate p < 0.05, and are therefore statistically significant. BMI, body mass index; BP, blood pressure; SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; †: Weight status categories: Underweight, BMI < 18.5 Kg/m2; Normal weight, 18.5 ≤ BMI < 25 Kg/m2; Overweight, 25 ≤ BMI < 30 Kg/m2; Obese, BMI ≥ 30 Kg/m2. ‡: Waist circumference categories: Normal, WC < 80 cm in women and <94 cm in men; High risk, 80–88 cm in women and 94–102 cm in men; Very high risk: WC > 88 cm in women and >102 cm in men. §: Peripheral BP categories: Normal BP, SBP < 120 and DBP < 80 mmHg; Elevated BP, SBP > 120–129.9 and DBP < 80 mmHg; Hypertension Stage 1, SBP 130–139.9 or DBP 80–89.9 mmHg; Hypertension Stage 2, SBP > = 140 or DBP > = 90.