Relation of body mass index and insulin resistance to cardiovascular risk factors, inflammatory factors, and oxidative stress during adolescence

Background-This study assessed the relation of fatness and insulin resistance and their interaction with cardiovascular risk factors, inflammatory factors, and oxidative stress in thin and heavy adolescents. Methods and Results-Euglycemic insulin clamp studies were performed on 295 (169 male, 126 female) adolescents (mean +/- SE age, 15 +/- 0.1 years). Comparisons were made between (1) heavy and thin adolescents; (2) insulin-sensitive and insulin-resistant adolescents; and (3) thin insulin-sensitive (T-IS), thin insulin-resistant (T-IR), heavy insulin-sensitive (H-IS), and heavy insulin-resistant (H-IR) adolescents. Summed z scores were used to determine clustering of risk factors (fasting insulin, triglycerides, HDL-C, and systolic blood pressure [SBP]) among the groups. SBP, triglycerides, and fasting insulin were significantly higher and HDL-C significantly lower in the heavy adolescents. Fasting insulin and triglycerides were significantly higher and HDL-C significantly lower in the insulin-resistant adolescents. Among the 4 groups, the risk factors and cluster score followed a pattern of risk as follows: T-IS