[Association of waist-to-hip ratio with insulin resistance in non-diabetic normal-weight individuals: a cross-sectional study].

Objective: To explore the relationship between waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and insulin resistance(IR) in non-diabetic normal-weight individuals and investigate how this association differs between male and femalesubjects.

Methods: From June to October, 2012, we performed a cross-sectional survey among 2142 community-based non-diabetic Chinese participants, who were divided into 4 groups according to the gender-specific quartiles of WHR. Homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), calculated as the product of fasting plasma glucose (mmol/L) and fasting insulin (mU/L) divided by 22.5, was used as the indicator of insulin resistance. Logistic regression models were used to explore the association of WHR with IR in these subjects.

Results: In the unadjusted model, WHR was significantly associated with IR in women (OR=6.60, 95%CI: 2.86-15.26, P<0.001); the association was still significant (OR=3.28, 95%CI: 1.34-8.04, P=0.009) after adjustment for the potential confounders including the history of hypertension, coronary heartdisease, current smoker, physical inactivity, and body mass index.

Conclusion: WHR is independently associated with IR in non-diabetic Chinese women with normal body weight.