Fasting triglyceride and the triglyceride-HDL cholesterol ratio are not markers of insulin resistance in African Americans.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The "lipid criteria" consist of a triglyceride (TG) level of 130 mg/dL (1.47 mmol/L) or greater and a ratio of TG to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) of 3 or greater. In Caucasians, the lipid criteria predict insulin resistance in individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m(2) or greater. Our goal was to determine whether TG levels or TG-HDL-C ratio predicted insulin resistance in African Americans with a BMI of 25 kg/m(2) or more. METHODS: Of 125 African Americans, the 98 with a BMI of 25 kg/m(2) or more participated. All subjects had frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance tests with insulin resistance determined by the insulin sensitivity index. Su..