Gender differences in the association of insulin resistance with metabolic risk factors among Korean adolescents: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2010

Aims: We investigated the association of insulin resistance with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components among Korean adolescents. Methods: We analyzed the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (20082010). Adolescents aged 10-18 years without diabetes (1584 boys and 1388 girls) were evaluated. Insulin resistance was assessed by homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and MetS was diagnosed according to the 2007 International Diabetes Federation criteria for adolescents. Results: The prevalence of MetS was 1.4% among boys and 1.7% among girls. Girls in the highest quartile of HOMA-IR were significantly more likely to have MetS compared to girls in the lower quartiles independent of survey year, age, body mass index, white blood cell count, and alanine aminotransferase [odds ratio (OR), 5.33; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.57-18.11]. Moreover, compared to girls in the lowest quartile of HOMA-IR, girls in the highest quartile significantly exhibited large waist circumference (OR, 3.22; 95% CI, 1.01-10.35), high triglycerides (OR, 6.43; 95% CI, 2.83-14.58), and low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (OR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.50-4.11). However, such associations were not found among boys. Conclusions: Our results suggest that insulin resistance may be independently associated with MetS, large waist circumference, high triglycerides, and low HDL-C only among girls. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.