Association of leisure time physical activity and abdominal obesity with fasting serum insulin and 2-h postchallenge plasma glucose levels.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the joint associations of leisure time physical activity and abdominal obesity with fasting insulin and 2-h glucose levels and with the risk of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and Type 2 diabetes (Type 2 DM).


METHODS
A cross-sectional population-based random sample of 1812 Finnish adults 45-74 years of age without a history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Relative energy expenditure during the previous 12 months (METh/week), assessed by a questionnaire, was used as a measure of leisure time physical activity. Waist-hip ratio (WHR) was used as a measure of abdominal obesity. IGT and Type 2 DM were assessed by a 2-h oral glucose tolerance test and were defined according to the World Health Organization guidelines.


RESULTS
While 2-h glucose and fasting insulin levels increased with increasing WHR (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively), both of them decreased with increasing physical activity (P = 0.015 and P < 0.001, respectively). The highest 2-h glucose and fasting insulin levels were found among individuals who had most abdominal obesity and were least physically active. Physically inactive individuals had a higher prevalence of IGT and Type 2 DM in all WHR tertiles than physically active persons.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher levels of leisure time physical activity are associated with lower 2-h glucose and fasting insulin levels and a reduced risk of having IGT and Type 2 DM, independent of the level of abdominal obesity.
Borodulin
K
K
National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland. katja.borodulin@ktl.fi
Tuomilehto
J
J
Peltonen
M
M
Lakka
T A
TA
Sundvall
J
J
Jousilahti
P
P
D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D015444:Exercise; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin