Significance of Measuring Fasting Immunoreactive Insulin and Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance in Ningen Dock for the Prevention of Lifestyle Related Disease

Background It has been widely recognized that insulin resistance not only plays an important role in the pathophysiology of diabetes but in all lifestyle related disease that are closely associated with cardiovascular disease. Methods Measurement of fasting immunoreactive insulin (F-IRI) was performed to examine its signifi cance and usefulness as an index of insulin resistance in subjects in Ningen Dock . Results The value of F-IRI increased as the number of risk factors for atherosclerosis increased , and we observed a stronger correlation between the value of F-IRI and BW than the degree of diabetes . We also found that there was a very strong correlation (correlation coefficient exceeding 0 .9) between F-IRI and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), which is the index of insulin resistance used most widely at present. Furthermore, we identified that the value of F-IRI changes in correlation with changes in the BW and that visceral fat accumulation is one of the independent factors affecting FIRI. Finally, we examined the effect of lifestyle itself, namely exercise, drinking, and smoking, on the value of F-IRI, and found that exercise and drinking are independent factors associated with F-IRI. Conclusions These results indicate the significance of measuring F-IRI as the most convenient index of insulin resistance, and also indicate its usefulness for the guidance of subjects in Ningen Dock from the viewpoint of the prevention of lifestyle related disease. (Ningen Dock 2007 ; 21 : 57 — 62)