Prevalence of insulin resistance in morbid obesity in young Europeans

Backgrounds and aims: Morbid obesity is associated with insulin resistance which precedes the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in adults. However, data on the prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), T2DM and its correlation with insulin resistance in children and adolescents are sparse. We therefore determined the prevalence of IGT and measures of insulin action and -secretion in 73 obese children and adolescents. Materials and methods: Participants underwent a two-hour oral glucose-tolerance test (OGTT: 1.75mg of glucose per kilogram of body weight). Insulin sensitivity was estimated by th…