Table 2 Association between area-level university education/income and MetS incidence (n = 1877)

Area-level education

Percent uni. education or more (per 1% increase)

0.98 (0.97-0.99)^a

0.98 (0.96-0.99) ^a

0.98 (0.96-0.99) ^a

0.98 (0.96-0.99) ^a

Annual household income

<20,000 AUD

-

Ref

Ref

20,000-60,000 AUD

-

1.04 (0.86-1.26)

1.00 (0.82-1.21)

1.00 (0.82-1.21)

>60,000 AUD

-

0.77 (0.55-1.08)

0.76 (0.54-1.08)

0.76 (0.54-1.07)

Individual education

Bachelor degree (No)

-

Ref

Ref

Bachelor degree (Yes)

-

1.28 (0.91-1.80)

1.23 (0.86-1.77)

1.24 (0.87-1.78)

Area-level income

Median household weekly income (per 1 sd increase)

0.97 (0.88-1.07)

0.89 (0.75-1.07)

0.88 (0.74-1.05)

0.93 (0.78 -1.10)

Annual household income

<20,000 AUD

-

Ref

Ref

20,000-40,000 AUD

-

1.08 (0.88-1.32)

1.03 (0.85-1.26)

1.03 (0.84-1.25)

>60,000 AUD

-

0.69 (0.49-0.98) ^a

0.68 (0.48-0.97) ^a

0.69 (0.49-0.98) ^a

Area-level income x Middle

-

1.04 (0.84-1.28)

1.04 (0.84-1.28)^a

1.02 (0.83-1.25)

Area-level x High

-

1.46 (1.11-1.91) ^b

1.47 (1.12-1.92) ^b

1.42 (1.01-1.85) ^b

Individual education

Bachelor degree (No)

-

Ref

Ref

Ref

Bachelor degree (Yes)

-

1.20 (0.86-1.66)

1.15 (0.81-1.64)

1.21 (0.85-1.74)