Hormonal
Central fat distribution (waist-to-hip ratio) is independently associated with insulin hypersecretion, particularly in women, but is not related to insulin sensitivity after adjusting for BMI.
For women, carrying weight around the waist is linked to higher insulin production, even if your blood sugar regulation (sensitivity) is normal. This suggests that central obesity drives hormonal demand. Weight loss strategies that reduce waist circumference may help lower insulin levels, but the primary driver of metabolic health in obesity appears to be the total amount of insulin secreted, not just where the fat is stored.
Neither the waist circumference nor the waist-to-hip ratio... was related to insulin sensitivity after adjustment for age, gender, and BMI; both, however, were positively associated (P < 0.001) with insulin hypersecretion, particularly in women.
Why this rating
Large sample size and rigorous statistical adjustment for confounders.
Source
Insulin resistance and hypersecretion in obesity. European Group for the Study of Insulin Resistance (EGIR).
Ele Ferrannini et al. · Journal of Clinical Investigation · 1997
DOI 10.1172/jci119628
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