SUMMARY MEASURES OF THE INSULIN-RESISTANCE SYNDROME ARE ADVERSE AMONGMEXICAN-AMERICAN VERSUS NON-HISPANIC WHITE-CHILDREN - THE CORPUS-CHRISTI CHILD HEART-STUDY

Background Mexican-American (MA) adults are known to have a greater bu rden of diabetes and insulin resistance than non-Hispanic white (NHW) people. In this report, we examined data obtained from MA and NHW thir d-grade children for evidence of a pattern consistent with the insulin resistance syndrome. In addition, we developed two summary measures c haracterizing insulin resistance syndrome to compare measures of this syndrome among our population. Methods and Results Data regarding fast ing insulin, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI) were available for 403 third-grade children. Median levels of insulin and glucose were significantly higher in MA boys and girls than in NHW boys and girls. Risk factors characterizing insulin resistance, including levels of insulin, triglycerides, systo lic blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, and BMI were categorized as above or below the total population median. MA children were more likely th an NHW children to have three or more adverse risk factors (55% versus 37%). When risk factors were converted to Z scores, and the five Z sc ores were summed for each individual, MA boys and girls had higher mea n scores than NHW buys and girls (means for boys, 0.65 versus -0.97, P <.0001; girls, 0.52 versus -0.30, P<.04). Principal components analysi s was used to create a summary score or index representing the insulin resistance syndrome. This summary score was significantly higher amon g MA boys and girls than NHW boys and girls (means for boys, 0.34 vers us -0.72, P<.0001; girls, 0.35 versus -0.04, P=.056). Conclusions Our results support the hypothesis that MA children exhibit a greater degr ee of the insulin resistance syndrome than NHW children, especially am ong boys. We conclude that some of the factors responsible for the inc reased risk of NIDDM seen among MA adults are demonstrable in childhoo d.