Anthropometric correlates of insulin resistance: a study of healthy Nigerian adults in Maiduguri

Abstract

Indices of obesity, especially abdominal adiposity have been shown to correlate positively with the components of the metabolic syndrome in several studies. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between anthropometric indices and insulin resistance in healthy subjects. Methods: A representative sample of 100 subjects aged 15 to 70 years was recruited for the study. Weight, height, waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference were measured, while body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were calculated for each participant. Fasting blood samples were drawn for plasma glucose and plasma insulin concentrations, respectively. The values obtained were used to calculate insulin resistance using the Homeostasis Model Assessment Method for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). Results: Insulin resistance (IR) was found in 25(25%) of the study subjects. There were significant and
positive correlations between waist circumference and HOMA-IR (r=+0.20, p<0.05), as well as between BMI and HOMA-IR(r=+0.19, p<0.05).Both anthropometric indices however, only predicted 4.1% and 3.9% of the variation in HOMA-IR, respectively. The correlation between WHR and HOMA-IR was positive but non-significant (r=+0.12, p>0.05). Conclusion: Waist circumference exhibited the strongest correlation with HOMA-IR, closely followed by BMI and WHR. We recommend that measurement of waist circumference should continue to be used as a screening tool for identifying individuals with insulin resistance in our setting.