RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HABITUAL PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY AND INSULIN AREA AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH IMPAIRED GLUCOSE-TOLERANCE - THE SAN-LUIS VALLEY DIABETES STUDY

OBJECTIVE-To determine whether higher levels of physical activity are associated with lower fasting insulin levels and lower insulin areas u nder the oral glucose tolerance curve in individuals with impaired glu cose tolerance (IGT) in a community setting. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHO DS-Data from a cross-sectional study of a population consisting of 219 Hispanic and non-Hispanic white men and women with IGT (by World Heal th Organization criteria) in two rural Colorado counties were analyzed . Total physical activity was assessed by a 7-day physical activity re call, from which metabolic equivalents (METs) were estimated (expresse d as MET h/week). Relationships of MET h/week with fasting insulin lev els and insulin areas were assessed while considering obesity, age, an d other risk factors known to influence lasting insulin level and insu lin area. RESULTS-Among all subjects, univariate analyses showed that higher physical activity levels were associated with lower mean insuli n areas and fasting insulin levels (both P less than or equal to 0.05) . Multiple linear regression showed that higher levels of physical act ivity were significantly associated with lower values of the insulin a rea (P < 0.001) but not with fasting insulin levels. The relationship between insulin area and habitual physical activity was independent of obesity, fat distribution, and age. CONCLUSIONS-On the basis of cross -sectional data, we conclude that higher levels of habitual physical a ctivity are associated with lower insulin areas in a population of ind ividuals individuals with IGT. Understanding the impact of physical ac tivity on markers of insulin action in individuals with IGT is importa nt because of the greatly enhanced risk of non-insulin-dependent diabe tes mellitus and, hence, cardiovascular disease in this population.