Psychological symptoms and insulin sensitivity in adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
Symptoms of psychological distress have been linked to low insulin sensitivity in adults; however, little is known about this relationship in pediatric samples. We therefore examined symptoms of depression and anxiety in relation to insulin sensitivity in adolescents.


METHODS
Participants were 136 non-treatment-seeking, healthy adolescents (53.2% female) of all weight strata (BMI-z = 1.08 +/- 1.08) between the ages of 12 and 18 years (M = 15.16,SD = 1.55). Adolescents completed questionnaire measures assessing depression and anxiety symptoms. Fasting blood samples for serum insulin and plasma glucose were obtained to estimate insulin sensitivity with the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index. Fat mass and fat-free mass were measured with air displacement plethysmography or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.


RESULTS
Depressive symptoms were associated with higher fasting insulin and decreased insulin sensitivity even after controlling for fat mass, fat-free mass, height, age, pubertal status, race, and sex (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
As has been described for adults, depressive symptoms are associated with low insulin sensitivity among healthy adolescents. Further experimental and prospective studies are required to determine the directionality of this link.
Shomaker
Lauren B
LB
Unit on Growth and Obesity, Program in Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Service, 10 Center Drive, Hatfield Clinical Research Center, Room 1E-3330, MSC 1103, Bethesda, MD 20892-1103, USA.
Tanofsky-Kraff
Marian
M
Young-Hyman
Deborah
D
Han
Joan C
JC
Yanoff
Lisa B
LB
Brady
Sheila M
SM
Yanovski
Susan Z
SZ
Yanovski
Jack A
JA
D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity
D007328:Insulin