Researchers don’t fully understand what causes insulin resistance and prediabetes, but they think excess weight and lack of physical activity are major factors.
Excess weight
Experts believe obesity, especially too much fat in the abdomen and around the organs, called visceral fat, is a main cause of insulin resistance.
A waist measurement of 40 inches or more for men and 35 inches or more for women is linked to insulin resistance. This is true even if your body mass index (BMI) falls within the normal range.
However, research has shown that Asian Americans may have an increased risk for insulin resistance even without a high BMI.
Researchers used to think that fat tissue was only for energy storage. However, studies have shown that belly fat makes hormones and other substances that can contribute to chronic, or long-lasting, inflammation in the body.
Inflammation may play a role in insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Excess weight may lead to insulin resistance, which in turn may play a part in the development of fatty liver disease.
Physical inactivity
Not getting enough physical activity is linked to insulin resistance and prediabetes. Regular physical activity causes changes in your body that make it better able to keep your blood glucose levels in balance.
Symptoms of insulin resistance and prediabetes
Insulin resistance and prediabetes usually have no symptoms. Some people with prediabetes may have darkened skin in the armpit or on the back and sides of the neck, a condition called acanthosis nigricans.
Many small skin growths called skin tags often appear in these same areas.
Even though blood glucose levels are not high enough to cause symptoms for most people, a few research studies have shown that some people with prediabetes may already have early changes in their eyes that can lead to retinopathy.
This problem more often occurs in people with diabetes.
If you care about prediabetes, please read studies about intensive lifestyle change that can benefit people with prediabetes, and findings of common diabetes drug that may help achieve healthy aging.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies about how to reverse type 2 diabetes and deadly liver disease, and results showing this sleep pill can prevent kidney damage in obesity with diabetes.
Source: NIDDK
