DOI: 10.2337/dc06-0581 © 2006 by the American Diabetes Association
Are Obesity-Related Metabolic Risk Factors Modulated by the Degree of Insulin Resistance in Adolescents?Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes Mellitus and the Weight Management and Wellness Center, Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Address correspondence and reprint requests to Silva A. Arslanian, MD, Weight Management and Wellness Center, Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh, 3705 Fifth Ave. at DeSoto St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213. E-mail: silva.arslanian{at}chp.edu
OBJECTIVEObesity is often associated with insulin resistance and the components of the metabolic syndrome. However, wide variations in insulin sensitivity are noted in obese youth. It is not clear if greater insulin resistance confers a higher risk of cardiovascular comorbidities and risk for type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSWe investigated physical and metabolic features of 54 obese adolescents. Subsequently, we pair matched 17 moderately insulin-resistant (MIR group) to 17 severely insulin-resistant (SIR group) youth based on cut points for insulin sensitivity (MIR group insulin sensitivity within 2 SDs and SIR group <2 SDs of normal-weight adolescent values). We evaluated differences in body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), abdominal fat (computed tomography scan), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) (VO2max on a treadmill), insulin sensitivity and secretion (hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic and hyperglycemic clamps), substrate utilization (indirect calorimetry), and fasting adiponectin and lipid profile. RESULTSSIR youth had higher visceral adiposity (78.3 ± 6.9 vs. 60.3 ± 6.9 cm2, P = 0.017) and waist-to-hip ratio (0.91 ± 0.01 vs. 0.86 ± 0.02, P = 0.026) and lower HDL (1.0 ± 0.03 vs. 1.16 ± 0.06 mmol/l, P = 0.015) than pair-matched MIR subjects. There was a tendency for adiponectin (6.1 ± 0.5 vs. 8.6 ± 1.1 µg/ml, P = 0.079) and CRF (49.9 ± 3.2 vs. 55.2 ± 3.5 ml · min1 · kg1 fat-free mass, P = 0.09) to be lower in SIR subjects. SIR youth also had an impaired balance between insulin sensitivity and ß-cell compensation with a lower glucose disposition index. CONCLUSIONSDespite similar BMI, the degree of insulin resistance impacts the risk for obesity-related metabolic comorbidities. The SIR youth are at greater risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Abbreviations: CRF, cardiorespiratory fitness CVD, cardiovascular disease FFM, fat-free mass VAT, visceral adipose tissue
Although obesity is often associated with insulin resistance and the components of the metabolic syndrome, there is a subgroup of obese individuals who do not fit this metabolic profile (1). With wide variations in insulin sensitivity, it is not clear what distinguishes obese moderately insulin-resistant children from obese severely insulin-resistant peers and whether they are at lower risk of obesity-related comorbidities. With the current obesity epidemic in children (2), it is important to be able to identify these individuals so that therapeutic efforts can be concentrated on the more at-risk category. In adults, obese and nonobese insulin-sensitive versus insulin-resistant individuals have higher HDL and adiponectin levels, lower fasting insulin and triglycerides, but no significant difference in blood pressure (3). Similarly, obese metabolically normal postmenopausal women have 49% less visceral fat, lower fasting and postoral glucose tolerance test insulin levels, lower triglycerides, and higher HDL levels than their insulin-resistant counterparts (4). In a recent study (5), obese insulin-sensitive adolescents were found to have lower visceral and intramyocellular fat. Because physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) independent of body weight are associated with better health outcomes (6), we hypothesized that obese youth who are less insulin resistant are more likely to have higher CRF in addition to lower abdominal adiposity, better cardiovascular disease (CVD) profile, and less risk of type 2 diabetes. Therefore, we investigated physical and metabolic features that distinguish obese but moderately insulin-resistant youth (MIR group) from severely insulin-resistant youth (SIR group).
Fifty-four obese (mean BMI 34.9 ± 5.5 kg/m2) otherwise-healthy African-American and American white adolescents were studied. Subjects had exogenous obesity with no clinical evidence of endocrinopathy or syndromes. They were not involved in any regular physical activity or weight reduction programs and were not on medications that affect glucose metabolism. Female subjects were evaluated in the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle. All studies were approved by the institutional review board of the University of Pittsburgh. Study participants were recruited through newspaper advertisements in the community. Parental informed consent and child assent were obtained. Clinical characteristics of the study subjects are summarized in Table 1. All subjects were at Tanner stage IIV of puberty on examination, as confirmed by plasma testosterone in male and estradiol in female subjects.
Clamp studies Each participant underwent a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp and a hyperglycemic clamp study after 1012 h of fasting, at 1- to 3-week intervals, in random order. Participants were admitted to the General Clinical Research Center the afternoon before the day of the testing.
In vivo insulin sensitivity
In vivo insulin secretion
Body composition
CRF
Biochemical measurements
Calculations During the hyperglycemic clamp, the first-phase insulin concentration was calculated as the mean of five determinations from 2.5 to 12.5 min after the dextrose bolus. The second phase was calculated as the mean of eight determinations from 15 to 120 min (8). Glucose disposition index was calculated as the product of insulin sensitivity times first-phase insulin.
Statistics
Study subjects (Table 13) The obese adolescents were divided into two groups based on cut points for insulin sensitivity in normal-weight adolescents (NW group). The NW and obese adolescents were part of our ongoing investigations of determinants of insulin sensitivity and secretion during childhood. The insulin sensitivity of the MIR group was within 2 SDs below the mean of the NW subjects, and the insulin sensitivity of the SIR group was <2 SDs (<2.35 µmol · kg1 · min1 per pmol/l) of the mean insulin sensitivity of NW adolescents. Table 1 depicts the characteristics of the two obese groups (MIR versus SIR) versus NW adolescents. Of 54 obese adolescents, 23 (43%) were categorized as MIR and 31 (57%) as SIR subjects. The SIR group had higher BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, and visceral and subcutaneous fat compared with the MIR and NW groups. There were no differences in waist-to-hip ratio and lipid profile between the MIR and NW groups.
Physical characteristics and metabolic profile of pair-matched SIR versus MIR subjects (Table 2)
Multiple regression analysis Because there were significant differences between the pair-matched MIR versus SIR subjects in HDL, VAT, and waist-to-hip ratio despite similar BMI, we proceeded to investigate if differences in insulin sensitivity among these obese children determine cardiovascular outcome measures (HDL, LDL, triglyceride-to-HDL ratio, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure) independent of BMI. We performed multiple regression analysis with each outcome as the dependent variable and BMI and insulin sensitivity as independent variables. Insulin sensitivity independent of BMI explained 8% of the variance in HDL (R2 = 0.08, P = 0.03) but not in the other dependent variables. On the other hand, VAT independent of BMI and of insulin sensitivity explained 20% of the variance in triglyceride-to-HDL ratio (R2 = 0.198, P < 0.001). Similarly, waist-to-hip ratio independent of insulin sensitivity explained 15% of the variance in the triglyceride-to-HDL ratio (R2 = 0.15, P = 0.04). The variance in LDL (R2 = 0.10, P = 0.02) and systolic (R2 = 0.10, P = 0.03) and diastolic (R2 = 0.12, P = 0.001) blood pressure was attributable to BMI independent of insulin sensitivity.
Clamp data in pair-matched MIR versus SIR (Figs. 1 and 2)
CRF, energy expenditure, and substrate utilization in pair-matched MIR versus SIR subjects VO2max, a measure of CRF, tended to be lower in SIR adolescents (Table 2). Resting energy expenditure, respiratory quotient, glucose, and fat oxidation were not different between the two groups (data not shown). However, during insulin-stimulated conditions of the hyperinsulinemic clamp, respiratory quotient (0.89 ± 0.01 vs. 0.93 ± 0.01, P = 0.017), energy expenditure (22.3 ± 0.67 vs. 23.9 ± 0.75 kcal · kg1 · min1, P = 0.05), and glucose oxidation (14.3 ± 0.9 vs. 17.6 ± 0.6 µmol · kg1 · min1, P = 0.005) were lower, while fat oxidation was higher (1.58 ± 0.19 vs. 0.90 ± 0.17 µmol · kg1 · min1, P = 0.022) in the SIR versus MIR group.
The present study demonstrates that despite similar BMI, there are obese adolescents who are only moderately insulin resistant and at lower risk for obesity-associated comorbidities compared with severely insulin-resistant ones. These MIR adolescents have higher physical fitness, lower VAT, higher adiponectin levels, and better substrate utilization and energy consumption compared with the SIR group. Moreover, they have a preserved balance of ß-cell secretory compensation to insulin resistance, lessening their risk of progression to type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, their lower triglyceride-to-HDL ratio and higher HDL profile would suggest lower risk of CVD. This study adds to the limited existing literature by providing 1) a comparison between two groups of obese adolescents, severely versus moderately insulin resistant, strictly defined based on data in normal-weight youth and pair matched for BMI, ethnicity, sex, and puberty; 2) information on CRF; 3) information on energy and substrate utilization; and 4) in vivo evaluation of insulin sensitivity and secretion simultaneously. In recent years, researchers became aware of the existence of "fat-fit" individuals (12). In population studies, based on measurement of insulin sensitivity with the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp in 1,146 healthy Caucasians, aged 1885 years, it was shown that insulin resistance (defined as <10% of the M value of lean subjects) in "simple obesity" is not as prevalent as previously thought (1). Accordingly, only 26% of all obese subjects were insulin resistant. Bonora et al. (13) similarly reported that insulin resistance, estimated by the homeostasis model, was present in 42% of overweight subjects with no metabolic disorders. In our current study, 57% of obese adolescents were severely insulin resistant, while 43% had insulin sensitivity within 2 SDs of that of the NW group. Adiposity and insulin sensitivity independently appear to modulate different CVD risk factors. In our multiple regression analysis, insulin sensitivity determined HDL independent of BMI, while LDL and blood pressure were determined by BMI. This is consistent with adult data showing a decrease in HDL with an increase in the tertile of insulin resistance, while LDL worsened with an increase in BMI tertile (14). Another observation is that despite similar BMI, MIR subjects had lower VAT, waist-to-hip ratio, and a tendency for higher adiponectin than SIR subjects. This is consistent with adult data of lower VAT in metabolically normal obese postmenopausal women (4) and lower adiponectin levels in obese and nonobese insulin-resistant versus insulin-sensitive men and women (3). Lower visceral and intramyocellular fat and higher adiponectin was reported (5) in obese insulin-sensitive youth. However, subjects were of three different ethnicities, potentially impacting the outcome measures, particularly race-related differences in visceral adiposity (15). The difference in insulin sensitivity between the MIR and SIR groups was related to both oxidative and nonoxidative (storage) glucose disposal, which were lower in the SIR group. They also had less suppression of fat oxidation and lower respiratory quotient in response to hyperinsulinemia, indicative of insulin resistance in suppressing fat oxidation. This is consistent with the higher VAT in the SIR group. Our results differ from those of Weiss et al. (5), in which lipid and glucose oxidations were not significantly different between the insulin-sensitive and -resistant groups. This could again stem from including different racial groups in their study despite reports of race-related differences in lipolysis, substrate oxidation (16,17), and energy expenditure (18). Lower glucose oxidation and higher fat oxidation were observed in insulin-resistant subjects and were proposed as one of the mechanisms for limiting additional weight gain in insulin-resistant versus insulin-sensitive obese Pima Indians in a longitudinal study (19). In addition, SIR youth have evidence of suboptimal insulin compensation resulting in a lower glucose disposition index compared with their MIR peers. This finding, along with hypoadiponectinemia, which was associated with the future development of type 2 diabetes (20), suggests a higher propensity to progress to an impaired glucose-tolerant state and diabetes (21). Another observation is the tendency of MIR subjects to have higher CRF. CRF, which is influenced by physical activity, has been associated with lower rates of CVD and all-cause mortality in adult populations (2224). In female adolescents with a wide range of BMI, VO2max was a more critical determinant of insulin sensitivity than percent body fat (25). In the study by Brochu et al. (4), the insulin-sensitive versus -resistant obese women had similar CRF. It remains to be determined whether the tendency for higher CRF in the MIR group will become more significant if more subjects are studied. From the practical clinical perspective, the SIR children had significantly higher waist-to-hip ratio, higher fasting insulin, lower HDL, and a tendency for worse CRF and lower adiponectin levels. Similar findings were reported by the few studies addressing the metabolic risk of obesity in adults (3,4) and children (5). However, more research is needed in children to derive specific cut points for the different variables with careful assessment of sensitivity and specificity to enable the distinction between moderately versus severely insulin-resistant children. In summary, we conclude that despite similar BMI in obese youth, there are differences in the degree of insulin sensitivity and metabolic consequences. The severely insulin-resistant youth are at greater risk for obesity-related comorbidities, including the risk of type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia. Whether differences in insulin sensitivity stem from higher visceral adiposity or lead to abdominal obesity remains to be determined. Also, it remains to be determined whether this risk phenotype is genetically programmed yet environmentally modulated to allow for therapeutic interventions.
This work was supported by the U.S. Public Health Service Grants RO1 HD27503, K24 HD01357, and MO1-RR00084; the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC); and Eli Lilly. We thank the GCRC nurses for expert nursing assistance and Pat Antonio for secretarial assistance. These studies would not have been possible without the recruitment efforts of Sandy Stange, the laboratory expertise of Resa Brna, and, most importantly, the commitment of the volunteer children and their parents.
The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact. A table elsewhere in this issue shows conventional and Système International (SI) units and conversion factors for many substances. Received for publication March 16, 2006. Accepted for publication April 7, 2006.
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