Hip circumference correlates negatively with insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic patients

Background: Body adiposity is a known factor in the development of insulin resistance. Not much is known on the association between insulin resistance and indices of obesity in type 2 diabetic African population. Objective: This study investigated the relationship between insulin resistance and anthropometric measurements in the black African population using the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used to study a random sample of 183 type 2 diabetic patients and 96 nondiabetic controls. Anthropometric parameters were measured using an appropriate technique. Fasting blood glucose was estimated using a glucose oxidase method. Serum insulin level was estimated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23.0. HOMA-IR score was used to determine insulin resistance. Results: Diabetic males had greater waist–hip ratio than their normal controls (percentage difference: −3.23, P = 0.02) while diabetic females had greater body mass index (BMI) (percentage difference: 7.62, P = 0.04) and waist circumference (percentage difference: 10.6, P = 0.001) than their normal controls. There were a negative correlation between hip circumference (HC) and insulin resistance in the type 2 diabetic patients and a positive correlation between BMI and insulin resistance in the nondiabetic controls. However, there was no significant correlation between other anthropometric parameters and insulin resistance in both the type 2 diabetic and control groups. Conclusion: HC has a negative correlation with insulin resistance in the black African type 2 diabetic patients. There is a need for further research in this area to reduce diagnostic costs in low-resource settings.