Sagittal abdominal diameter is a strong anthropometric marker of insulin resistance and hyperproinsulinemia in obese men.
OBJECTIVE
It is clinically important to find noninvasive markers of insulin resistance and hyperproinsulinemia because they both predict cardiovascular and diabetes risk. Sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) or "supine abdominal height" is a simple anthropometric measure previously shown to predict mortality in men, but its association with insulin resistance and hyperproinsulinemia is unknown.


METHODS
In a common high-risk group of 59 moderately obese men (aged 35-65 years, BMI 32.6 +/- 2.3 kg/m(2)), we determined anthropometry (SAD, BMI, waist girth, and waist-to-hip ratio [WHR]); insulin sensitivity (euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp); and plasma concentrations of intact proinsulin, specific insulin, C-peptide, glucose, and serum IGF binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1). To compare SAD with other anthropometric measures, univariate and multiple regression analyses were used to determine correlations between anthropometric and metabolic variables.


RESULTS
SAD showed stronger correlations to all measured metabolic variables, including insulin sensitivity, than BMI, waist girth, and WHR. SAD explained the largest degree of variation in insulin sensitivity (R(2) = 0.38, P < 0.0001) compared with other anthropometric measures. In multiple regression analyses, including all anthropometric measures, SAD was the only independent anthropometric predictor of insulin resistance (P < 0.001) and hyperproinsulinemia (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
In obese men, SAD seems to be a better correlate of insulin resistance and hyperproinsulinemia (i.e., cardiovascular risk) than other anthropometric measures. In overweight and obese individuals, SAD could represent a simple, cheap, and noninvasive tool that could identify the most insulin resistant in both the clinic and clinical trials evaluating insulin sensitizers. These results need confirmation in larger studies that also include women and lean subjects.
Risérus
Ulf
U
Clinical Nutrition Research Unit, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences/Geriatrics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. ulf.riserus@oxlip.ox.ac.uk
Arnlöv
Johan
J
Brismar
Kerstin
K
Zethelius
Björn
B
Berglund
Lars
L
Vessby
Bengt
B
D000005:Abdomen; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D015992:Body Mass Index; D049628:Body Size; D006801:Humans; D006946:Hyperinsulinism / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011384:Proinsulin / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D011384:Proinsulin