title: Skin pigmentation is inversely associated with insulin resistance in healthy Japanese women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  As a low-pigment skin type is prevalent in men and women with type 1 diabetes, it is possible that skin pigmentation may be associated with insulin resistance. This study aimed to cross-sectionally examine this association in healthy women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study participants were 792 Japanese women who attended a health examination and were not taking any medication for diabetes. Skin pigmentation on the inner upper and lower arms and forehead was measured using a Mexameter®skin colorimeter, a narrow-band reflective spectrophotometer. Data are expressed as a melanin index, which quantifies melanin content. Fasting blood glucose and insulin levels were also measured, and homoeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) scores were calculated. Information on medical history and lifestyle factors were obtained by a self-administered questionnaire, while data on sun exposure were collected through interviews. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were measured in a subsample of women (n=464).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Melanin indices at the inner upper and lower arms were significantly and inversely associated with fasting insulin levels and HOMA-IR after controlling for age, body mass index, smoking status, indicators for rater effects, cumulative sun exposure and season at the time of measurement. Additional adjustment for plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels did not alter the results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that skin pigmentation is associated with insulin resistance, and encourage future studies into the potential role of melanin and related factors in glucose homoeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 500-1194, Japan. Electronic address: chisato@gifu-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nagata
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 500-1194, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Konish
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 500-1194, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 500-1194, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Matsunami General Hospital, Gifu 501-6062, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Murakami Memorial Hospital, Asahi University, Gifu 501-0233, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Matsunami General Hospital, Gifu 501-6062, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yasuda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000502:physiology*; D013472:Sunlight; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: Insulin resistance; Melanin; Skin pigmentation; Sun exposure; Vitamin D