Insulin Resistance (cont.)
What's new in insulin resistance?
It is only in recent years that insulin resistance has
been gaining importance its own right, and as a contributor to the metabolic
syndrome. It now appears that intervention can delay the onset of overt diabetes. Future studies will need to be longer
than the studies already done to determine for how long treatment can prevent
the development of diabetes and its complications.
Lifestyle changes (for example, diet, exercise) clearly are
important in delaying the development of diabetes in individuals with insulin
resistance, and education about these changes needs to be directed to groups at
risk for diabetes. Childhood obesity is on the rise in the United
States as well as other countries, and changes need to be made in school
cafeterias and in the food choices offered to children and teens at home.
The
value of diet and exercise in combination with medication needs to be evaluated
to determine if the combination is better than diet and exercise alone.
Insulin Resistance At A Glance
- Insulin resistance is a condition in which the cells
of the body become resistant to the hormone, insulin.
- Insulin resistance may be part of the metabolic
syndrome, and associated with the development of heart disease.
- Insulin resistance precedes the development of type 2
diabetes.
- Insulin resistance is associated with other medical
conditions including fatty liver, arteriosclerosis, acanthosis nigricans, skin
tags, and reproductive abnormalities in women.
- Individuals are more likely to have insulin
resistance if they have any of the associated medical conditions listed above.
They also are more likely to be insulin resistant if they are obese or are
Latino, African-American, Native American, and Asian-American.
- While there is a
genetic component, insulin resistance can be managed with diet, exercise, and
medication.
Last Editorial Review: 3/30/2009
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