Risk of Insulin Resistance in 44,939 Spanish Healthcare Workers: Association with Sociodemographic Variables and Healthy Habits.

Abstract

Introduction: Insulin resistance (IR) is a highly prevalent pathophysiological entity implicated in the development of a wide variety of metabolic, cardiovascular, and endocrine disorders. The aim of this study is to assess the association between sociodemographic variables and healthy habits with IR risk scales. Methodology: This dual study, incorporating both longitudinal-retrospective and cross-sectional designs, analyzed healthcare workers across four professional categories (physicians, nurses, healthcare technicians, and auxiliary personnel). It examined the association of age, sex, professional category, smoking status, physical activity, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet with elevated scores on insulin resistance risk scales. Results: All the variables analyzed were associated with the presence of elevated values of the IR scales, with age, sex, and physical activity showing the strongest association (reflected in the odds ratio values). Conclusions: The profile of an individual with a higher risk of presenting elevated values of the IR risk scales would be an elderly male auxiliary health worker who is a smoker and is physically inactive, with a low adherence to the Mediterranean diet.