Research

Hormonal

South Asian and Aboriginal Canadian populations exhibit an unfavorable adipokine profile characterized by lower adiponectin and higher leptin levels compared to European and Chinese Canadians, which is associated with greater insulin resistance.

If you are of South Asian or Aboriginal descent, your body may naturally produce less adiponectin (a hormone that improves insulin sensitivity) and more leptin than other ethnic groups, even at the same weight. This makes you more prone to insulin resistance. Focus on managing your glycemic load (sugar and refined carb intake) to help mitigate this specific metabolic risk.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
South Asians have the least favorable adipokine profile and, like the Aboriginal people, display a greater increase in insulin resistance with decreasing levels of adiponectin.
Andrew Mente et al. · Diabetes Care · 2010

Why this rating

Large sample size (n=1,176), standardized measurements, and statistically significant results (P < 0.001).

Source

Ethnic Variation in Adiponectin and Leptin Levels and Their Association With Adiposity and Insulin Resistance

Andrew Mente et al. · Diabetes Care · 2010

DOI 10.2337/dc09-1392

cross_sectional · n=1176Cited 193×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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