Research
Hormonal
Truncal obesity (measured by waist/thigh circumference ratio) is significantly correlated with insulin resistance in females but not in males, independent of total body fat percentage.
For women, where fat is stored (truncal vs. lower body) matters for insulin resistance, even if total weight is the same. For men, total body fat percentage is a better predictor than fat distribution.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
In females, WTC is significantly correlated with insulin action at physiologic... and maximally-stimulating insulin concentrations... independent of degree of obesity. In Pima males, WTC is not significantly correlated with in vivo insulin action independent of degree of obesity.
Why this rating
Large sample size, clear statistical separation by sex.
Source
Obesity and insulin resistance: Lessons learned from the Pima indians
Stephen Lillioja et al. · Diabetes/Metabolism Reviews · 1988
DOI 10.1002/dmr.5610040508
narrative_review · n=213Cited 202×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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