Over 40% of US Adults have Insulin Resistance

lindsey1979
lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So, I've gotten flak on some threads about making weight loss all about diseases/metabolic disorders. I definitely don't think it's all about them, but I think they play a HUGE role in the difficulty many of us have with losing and maintaining weight. I know I thought I was going crazy doing everything "right" and still getting dismal results -- then I discovered that I had certain issues, including insulin resistance (and I was only about 30 lbs overweight). I know when I found out how common some issues were (insulin resistance, thyroid, PCOS, etc.), I was SHOCKED. I said, Why aren't more people talking about this?!!!

They play a huge role in weight loss/ management and it's important for people to know how incredibly common they are so they can find the optimal path for themselves. Someone snarky suggested I make a thread to "get the message out", and despite the snark, I thought it was a great idea. For this, I'm only focusing on insulin resistance since it's by far the most common. So here's the information:

Some Fun Statistics:

----Over 40% of US adults have Insulin Resistance at prediabetic or diabetic levels
----30% of US adults have insulin resistance at prediabetic or diabetic levels and don't know it (since 75% are not diagnosed!
----35% of US adults are obese
----69% of US adults are overweight or obese

Considering insulin resistance makes it difficult to lose weight (or maintain it) especially if you're eating a diet high in carbs (especially the highly refined ones), it's quite possible that more than half of the overweight people on this site have insulin resistance and don't even know it!

How do you know if you have Insulin Resistance?

The most reliable test is probably the A1C, which measures sugar levels over the previous 2-3 months. A result of 5.7-6.4 indicates prediabetes and over 6.4 is full blown diabetes. But, if you don't want to go to the doctor (and who does?!), if you have these symptoms, it may make sense to speak with your doctor about it more: (1) fatigue, (2) weight gain/obesity and (3) strong sugar/carb cravings. Or you could try something different diet and exercise and see if they help.

What can you do?

The good news is that you can manage and in some cases even reverse insulin resistance. It's not completely out of your hands. You may be able to reverse/manage a good deal of it with a different diet and exercise (though some opt to or must use medication as well).

Exercise

Exercise in particular helps increase insulin sensitivity. Even a brisk walk for 20-30 mins can help increase insulin sensivity over time. So frequent activity is really important.

Reducing Carbs

Many with insulin resistance find reducing carbs (especially the highly refined ones like bread, pasta, sugar, etc.) helps manage/reduce the cravings and aid in weight loss. The amount of carbs vary, but I personally aim for 100 g/day. Some prefer much lower and go full keto. Others are able to tolerate and prefer more. So, if you're struggling with satiety while staying within a reasonable calorie goal and/or have strong sugar/carb cravings, you may find that reducing your total carbs or eliminating certain types of carbs to be very beneficial.

*End Public Service Announcement*

Diabetes/Prediabetes/Insulin Resistance statistics from American Diabetes Association: http://professional.diabetes.org/admin/userfiles/0 - sean/fastfacts march 2013.pdf
Obesity statistics from CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm
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Replies

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,265 Member
    Exercise and weight loss are key.......even if people don't reduce their carbs both of these will make people more insulin sensitive......
  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    Exercise and weight loss are key.......even if people don't reduce their carbs both of these will make people more insulin sensitive......

    True, true. But it can be difficult to lose the weight without the proper diet -- and for many people that means reducing carbs. They say abs are made in the kitchen for a reason -- you can't out exercise a bad diet, and that's even a bigger issue for those with insulin resistance more often than not.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    this is why it's important that people get checked out by their doctor before beginning a diet or exercise program.

    so many people dont though

    here's another article. it's mron lyle mcdonald http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/insulin-sensitivity-and-fat-loss.html

    i think most people on the forums who eye roll the low carb thing is that even by the OP, carbs arent an issue for the majority of people
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    Considering insulin resistance makes it difficult to lose weight (or maintain it) especially if you're eating a diet high in carbs (especially the highly refined ones), it's quite possible that more than half of the overweight people on this site have insulin resistance and don't even know it!

    sorry but where did you get that number from? how exactly is more than 40% more than half?
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    this is why it's important that people get checked out by their doctor before beginning a diet or exercise program.

    so many people dont though

    here's another article. it's mron lyle mcdonald http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/insulin-sensitivity-and-fat-loss.html

    i think most people on the forums who eye roll the low carb thing is that even by the OP, carbs arent an issue for the majority of people

    Well, I'm not sure I'd say carbs aren't the issue for the majority of people. If 40% of US adults have insulin resistance and likely a higher number for overweight/obese person since insulin resistance makes it difficult to maintain weight and easy to gain, it seems like it's totally possible that carbs actually are a problem for the majority of people.

    Granted, I've never seen hard and fast numbers about how many overweight/obese people actually also have insulin resistance. But, it's not a stretch to imagine it's over 50% if 40% of all people have it (including the 30% who are not obese/overweight) have it.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,265 Member
    Exercise and weight loss are key.......even if people don't reduce their carbs both of these will make people more insulin sensitive......

    True, true. But it can be difficult to lose the weight without the proper diet -- and for many people that means reducing carbs. They say abs are made in the kitchen for a reason -- you can't out exercise a bad diet, and that's even a bigger issue for those with insulin resistance more often than not.
    Metabolic disorders are accounted for in the energy balance equation....granted it may be harder for some people to figure out their calorie maintenance but a calorie deficit and exercise is the best course of action.....and of course reducing carbs if someone was a carb freak would help promote the effects of a diet higher in protein and fat....which is satiation, which allows to deal easier and more effectively with a deficit, not rocket cooking.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    Considering insulin resistance makes it difficult to lose weight (or maintain it) especially if you're eating a diet high in carbs (especially the highly refined ones), it's quite possible that more than half of the overweight people on this site have insulin resistance and don't even know it!

    sorry but where did you get that number from? how exactly is more than 40% more than half?

    It's 40% of EVERYONE. And it's actually higher than 40%. More like 43.3% (35% at prediabetic levels and 8.3% at diabetic levels). And in 2012, it's risen though I don't have the numbers at my finger tips.

    So if it's 43.3% of EVERYONE and insulin resistance makes it difficult to lose/maintain weight (weight gain is one of the symptoms), it's not a stretch to think that it's wholly possible, if not even likely, that over 50% of overweight/obese people have insulin resistance.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    this is why it's important that people get checked out by their doctor before beginning a diet or exercise program.

    so many people dont though

    here's another article. it's mron lyle mcdonald http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/insulin-sensitivity-and-fat-loss.html

    i think most people on the forums who eye roll the low carb thing is that even by the OP, carbs arent an issue for the majority of people

    Well, I'm not sure I'd say carbs aren't the issue for the majority of people. If 40% of US adults have insulin resistance and likely a higher number for overweight/obese person since insulin resistance makes it difficult to maintain weight and easy to gain, it seems like it's totally possible that carbs actually are a problem for the majority of people.

    Granted, I've never seen hard and fast numbers about how many overweight/obese people actually also have insulin resistance. But, it's not a stretch to imagine it's over 50% if 40% of all people have it (including the 30% who are not obese/overweight) have it.

    but again i ask, in what sort of mathematics is 40% a majority?

    and if you're going to cite studies and number, there shouldnt be a need to "stretch your imagination" unless you're trying to prove a point.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    One of many reasons to speak to a doctor about your weight and be guided by a doctor throughout their weight loss journey.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    So if it's 43.3% of EVERYONE and insulin resistance makes it difficult to lose/maintain weight (weight gain is one of the symptoms), it's not a stretch to think that it's wholly possible, if not even likely, that over 50% of overweight/obese people have insulin resistance.

    yeah it is a stretch because you are essentially trying to double count obese people.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    Exercise and weight loss are key.......even if people don't reduce their carbs both of these will make people more insulin sensitive......

    True, true. But it can be difficult to lose the weight without the proper diet -- and for many people that means reducing carbs. They say abs are made in the kitchen for a reason -- you can't out exercise a bad diet, and that's even a bigger issue for those with insulin resistance more often than not.
    Metabolic disorders are accounted for in the energy balance equation....granted it may be harder for some people to figure out their calorie maintenance but a calorie deficit and exercise is the best course of action.....and of course reducing carbs if someone was a carb freak would help promote the effects of a diet higher in protein and fat....which is satiation, which allows to deal easier and more effectively with a deficit, not rocket cooking.

    That's simply wrong. If creating a calorie deficit gets into an unsafe amount of total calories, it is not a good solution for such things AT ALL. Once you get below a certain threshold of daily calories, it can be quite dangerous, especially for those with metabolic disorders.

    The solution to metabolic disorders is NOT to eat less necessarily. It's to figure out what you need to do as a person with such a disorder (to even know if you have it) to maintain a healthy weight. If you have to sleep 14+ hours to combat the fatigue from your abnormal metabolism's inability to effectively metabolize food, that's not a meaningful or viable solution. Nor should it me.

    Telling people with insulin resistance, thyroid disorder, PCOS, etc. to simply keep cutting calories not a healthy solution AT ALL. And can be downright dangerous for some.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    this is why it's important that people get checked out by their doctor before beginning a diet or exercise program.

    so many people dont though

    here's another article. it's mron lyle mcdonald http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/insulin-sensitivity-and-fat-loss.html

    i think most people on the forums who eye roll the low carb thing is that even by the OP, carbs arent an issue for the majority of people

    Well, I'm not sure I'd say carbs aren't the issue for the majority of people. If 40% of US adults have insulin resistance and likely a higher number for overweight/obese person since insulin resistance makes it difficult to maintain weight and easy to gain, it seems like it's totally possible that carbs actually are a problem for the majority of people.

    Granted, I've never seen hard and fast numbers about how many overweight/obese people actually also have insulin resistance. But, it's not a stretch to imagine it's over 50% if 40% of all people have it (including the 30% who are not obese/overweight) have it.

    but again i ask, in what sort of mathematics is 40% a majority?

    and if you're going to cite studies and number, there shouldnt be a need to "stretch your imagination" unless you're trying to prove a point.

    If you can't understand how 40% of total people could mean 50%+ of a specific subset where the affliction directly affects that subset more than the total could result in a majority, I can't help you. That's basic math.

    Plus, does it really matter that much if it's 43.3% or 50.1%? It's still a TON of people.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    So if it's 43.3% of EVERYONE and insulin resistance makes it difficult to lose/maintain weight (weight gain is one of the symptoms), it's not a stretch to think that it's wholly possible, if not even likely, that over 50% of overweight/obese people have insulin resistance.

    yeah it is a stretch because you are essentially trying to double count obese people.

    No, I'm saying it's more likely that healthy weight individuals don't have insulin resistance. It would be reducing the denominator total.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,265 Member
    Exercise and weight loss are key.......even if people don't reduce their carbs both of these will make people more insulin sensitive......

    True, true. But it can be difficult to lose the weight without the proper diet -- and for many people that means reducing carbs. They say abs are made in the kitchen for a reason -- you can't out exercise a bad diet, and that's even a bigger issue for those with insulin resistance more often than not.
    Metabolic disorders are accounted for in the energy balance equation....granted it may be harder for some people to figure out their calorie maintenance but a calorie deficit and exercise is the best course of action.....and of course reducing carbs if someone was a carb freak would help promote the effects of a diet higher in protein and fat....which is satiation, which allows to deal easier and more effectively with a deficit, not rocket cooking.

    That's simply wrong. If creating a calorie deficit gets into an unsafe amount of total calories, it is not a good solution for such things AT ALL. Once you get below a certain threshold of daily calories, it can be quite dangerous, especially for those with metabolic disorders.

    The solution to metabolic disorders is NOT to eat less necessarily. It's to figure out what you need to do as a person with such a disorder (to even know if you have it) to maintain a healthy weight. If you have to sleep 14+ hours to combat the fatigue from your abnormal metabolism's inability to effectively metabolize food, that's not a meaningful or viable solution. Nor should it me.

    Telling people with insulin resistance, thyroid disorder, PCOS, etc. to simply keep cutting calories not a healthy solution AT ALL. And can be downright dangerous for some.
    I said exercise and weight loss......you promote whatever you want, I'll stick to that.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member

    Telling people with insulin resistance, thyroid disorder, PCOS, etc. to simply keep cutting calories not a healthy solution AT ALL. And can be downright dangerous for some.

    but that's why it's up to them to go to their doctor and rule those things out first?

    very few people on these forums are doctors or able to give people blood tests simply by reading their post. for the majority of people (as implied in your own OP) calories in and calories are all that matters. it's also pretty much assumed that people who are asking for advice have been to the doctor.

    you cant very well expect the people who are asked for their advice and opinion to know intimate details of an OP's health :laugh:
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    Exercise and weight loss are key.......even if people don't reduce their carbs both of these will make people more insulin sensitive......

    True, true. But it can be difficult to lose the weight without the proper diet -- and for many people that means reducing carbs. They say abs are made in the kitchen for a reason -- you can't out exercise a bad diet, and that's even a bigger issue for those with insulin resistance more often than not.
    Metabolic disorders are accounted for in the energy balance equation....granted it may be harder for some people to figure out their calorie maintenance but a calorie deficit and exercise is the best course of action.....and of course reducing carbs if someone was a carb freak would help promote the effects of a diet higher in protein and fat....which is satiation, which allows to deal easier and more effectively with a deficit, not rocket cooking.

    That's simply wrong. If creating a calorie deficit gets into an unsafe amount of total calories, it is not a good solution for such things AT ALL. Once you get below a certain threshold of daily calories, it can be quite dangerous, especially for those with metabolic disorders.

    The solution to metabolic disorders is NOT to eat less necessarily. It's to figure out what you need to do as a person with such a disorder (to even know if you have it) to maintain a healthy weight. If you have to sleep 14+ hours to combat the fatigue from your abnormal metabolism's inability to effectively metabolize food, that's not a meaningful or viable solution. Nor should it me.

    Telling people with insulin resistance, thyroid disorder, PCOS, etc. to simply keep cutting calories not a healthy solution AT ALL. And can be downright dangerous for some.
    I said exercise and weight loss......you promote whatever you want, I'll stick to that.

    Sure but diet is ESSENTIAL to the weight loss equation in a healthy manner. You could cut off a leg and lose weight, but not exactly a good strategy to combat general weight/fat loss or insulin resistance.

    Are you being intentionally obtuse or do you just not understand that?
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member

    Telling people with insulin resistance, thyroid disorder, PCOS, etc. to simply keep cutting calories not a healthy solution AT ALL. And can be downright dangerous for some.

    but that's why it's up to them to go to their doctor and rule those things out first?

    very few people on these forums are doctors or able to give people blood tests simply by reading their post. for the majority of people (as implied in your own OP) calories in and calories are all that matters. it's also pretty much assumed that people who are asking for advice have been to the doctor.

    you cant very well expect the people who are asked for their advice and opinion to know intimate details of an OP's health :laugh:

    Since over 75% of the people with insulin resistance don't know about it -- it seems like either people aren't discussing it with their doctors (I didn't know about it until recently myself) or the doctors aren't diagnosing it properly.

    So, I offered up some scary statistics about how common it is, how it can make people trying to lose/maintain weight very difficult and some things that can help them with that journey that don't involve medication or going to the doctor (frequent exercise, reducing carbs).

    A calorie is not just a calorie for people with insulin resistance. The source of that calorie -- carb, fat or protein -- makes a HUGE difference for many of them because of the way their bodies metabolize glucose. Why is this such a big deal?
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    So if it's 43.3% of EVERYONE and insulin resistance makes it difficult to lose/maintain weight (weight gain is one of the symptoms), it's not a stretch to think that it's wholly possible, if not even likely, that over 50% of overweight/obese people have insulin resistance.

    yeah it is a stretch because you are essentially trying to double count obese people.

    No, I'm saying it's more likely that healthy weight individuals don't have insulin resistance. It would be reducing the denominator total.
    how so more than likely?
    http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/47/5/699.abstract
    http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0019878
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    So if it's 43.3% of EVERYONE and insulin resistance makes it difficult to lose/maintain weight (weight gain is one of the symptoms), it's not a stretch to think that it's wholly possible, if not even likely, that over 50% of overweight/obese people have insulin resistance.

    yeah it is a stretch because you are essentially trying to double count obese people.

    No, I'm saying it's more likely that healthy weight individuals don't have insulin resistance. It would be reducing the denominator total.
    how so more than likely?
    http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/47/5/699.abstract
    http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0019878

    Seriously, you don't understand this? If the factor X (in this case, insulin resistance) contributes to weight gain, then it's likely that a higher percentage of those with weight gain have it rather than those without weight gain (i.e. not overweight/obese).

    This is pretty basic...
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member

    Telling people with insulin resistance, thyroid disorder, PCOS, etc. to simply keep cutting calories not a healthy solution AT ALL. And can be downright dangerous for some.

    but that's why it's up to them to go to their doctor and rule those things out first?

    very few people on these forums are doctors or able to give people blood tests simply by reading their post. for the majority of people (as implied in your own OP) calories in and calories are all that matters. it's also pretty much assumed that people who are asking for advice have been to the doctor.

    you cant very well expect the people who are asked for their advice and opinion to know intimate details of an OP's health :laugh:
    Not knowing the details of someone's medical record/history and not being a doctor are both valid and excellent reasons for not attempting to advise them.

    I don't think most people do visit the doctor. If they did, they wouldn't ask a lot of the questions they do.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member

    Telling people with insulin resistance, thyroid disorder, PCOS, etc. to simply keep cutting calories not a healthy solution AT ALL. And can be downright dangerous for some.

    but that's why it's up to them to go to their doctor and rule those things out first?

    very few people on these forums are doctors or able to give people blood tests simply by reading their post. for the majority of people (as implied in your own OP) calories in and calories are all that matters. it's also pretty much assumed that people who are asking for advice have been to the doctor.

    you cant very well expect the people who are asked for their advice and opinion to know intimate details of an OP's health :laugh:
    Not knowing the details of someone's medical record/history and not being a doctor are both valid and excellent reasons for not attempting to advise them.

    I don't think most people do visit the doctor. If they did, they wouldn't ask a lot of the questions they do.

    Or that a lot of doctors simply aren't that well versed in such issues. I went to 4 different doctors over 10+ years before I got the proper diagnosis -- and I was the poster child for the most common thyroid disease. Yet, 4 docs (and 2 endos) missed it or didn't do the proper tests. It was discussing my issues on boards like these where I found a good deal of similarly situated people that shared their stories/information which ultimately led me down the same path.

    I've seen similar stories from other posters on MFP for PCOS, thyroid, insulin resistance, etc. Going to the doctor is a great starting point, but depending on the doctor, it's not the ending point for many.

    Getting accurate information is important, regardless of whether it's coming directly from a doctor or not. Whether the person ends up diagnosed or not with any given disorder/disease will be a matter for him/her and the doctor. But more information also leads to specialists and other opinions.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    So if it's 43.3% of EVERYONE and insulin resistance makes it difficult to lose/maintain weight (weight gain is one of the symptoms), it's not a stretch to think that it's wholly possible, if not even likely, that over 50% of overweight/obese people have insulin resistance.

    yeah it is a stretch because you are essentially trying to double count obese people.

    No, I'm saying it's more likely that healthy weight individuals don't have insulin resistance. It would be reducing the denominator total.
    how so more than likely?
    http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/47/5/699.abstract
    http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0019878

    Seriously, you don't understand this? If the factor X (in this case, insulin resistance) contributes to weight gain, then it's likely that a higher percentage of those with weight gain have it rather than those without weight gain (i.e. not overweight/obese).

    This is pretty basic...

    yes it's pretty basic if you're into trying to explain things via disjointed logic

    you're basically saying if x is a contributing factor to y, then x is the main contributing factor to y. see there's a step missing there and you're attempting to fill it in with proofiness. even after i listed 2 links with studies that show that a significant amount of those with prediabetes aren't obese :laugh:

    also there's this:
    Obesity adversely impacts existing endocrine and metabolic disorders. In fact, one out of every five overweight people is affected by the metabolic syndrome, or “Syndrome X26.”
    from here:
    http://obesityinamerica.org/understanding-obesity/obesity-related-diseases/
    20% is indeed a a lot but it by no means is a majority






    i'd guess people dont know
    - because they dont regularly visit their doctor
    - they regularly go and aren't following up with getting blood tests
    - they were diagnosed but are in denial about it.

    i agree that for those with hormonal and adrenal issues that they have to be a bit more diligent than just count calories, but what i dont get is the leap to assume that the majority of obese people have this issue, or even the majority of people on MFP who post "why arent i losing weight?" threads have this issue, especially when the very evidence you seem to be trying to use to support your claim contradicts you.

    it also sounds too close to an excuse or an easy out. if someone legitimately has issues then that's one thing, if they dont have issues but dont want to be held accountable (by their goals not anyone else ) for how much they are eating then that's another thing


    of course i havent read all of those "why am i not losing weight" threads , but for the majority of the ones i've seen they were people who were underestimating how much they were eating
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    I think that the 35% that are obese and the 35% with pre-diabetes are the same 35%. Because a side effect of obesity is your pancreas is taxed. When you lose the weight, it generally goes back to normal function.

    I don't think it's like hypothyroid, really, where nothing helps it until you get a diagnosis and a prescription.

    The treatment for pre-diabetes is to lose weight, in everyone I've seen. And the sufferers lose weight the same way the rest of us do-- by taking in less than they burn.
  • sdelo7
    sdelo7 Posts: 43 Member
    I'll just pull up a chair here...

    colbertpopcorn_zpsf610c704.gif

    Just read the thread, now i get it :-)
  • bluntlysally
    bluntlysally Posts: 150 Member
    if you want an excuse, you will find an excuse. when you are ready to actually lose weight, you will. only point the finger at yourself - anything else is an excuse.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    if you want an excuse, you will find an excuse. when you are ready to actually lose weight, you will. only point the finger at yourself - anything else is an excuse.

    You clearly know nothing about insulin resistance. How cute.

    You should probably check this out… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3oI104STzs.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    I'll just pull up a chair here...

    colbertpopcorn_zpsf610c704.gif

    I'm in, too, and glad to be Canadian.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I have no idea if that exact percentage is correct. But it doesn't surprise me, and is, unfortunately, only going to get worse in most countries including the U.S. and Canada.

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