Objective: To investigate the relationship between obesity, insulin resistance, and lipid profile
in type 2 diabetes patients and nondiabetic controls in the Cape Coast Metropolis
of Ghana. Patients and Methods: Levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin, lipid profile, insulin
resistance, and β-cell function were measured in 115 diabetes patients and 115 age-matched
nondiabetic controls. In addition, body weight, height, waist circumference (WC),
hip circumference, and blood pressure were measured. Body mass index and waist-to-hip
ratio were calculated. Results: Apart from diabetes patients with normal weight who exhibited higher (P < 0.05) FBG
but lower systolic blood pressure than their overweight/obese counterparts, levels
of all the other metabolites were comparable between the two weight groups in both
diabetics and nondiabetic controls. Diabetic patients with systolic hypertension had
higher (P < 0.05) low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and WC but nondiabetic hypertensives
had lower (P < 0.05) FBG than their respective normotensives. In people with diabetes,
dyslipidemia of total cholesterol (CHOL), LDL, and triglyceride were more prevalent
in overweight/obese and systolic hypertensives. In controls, prevalence dyslipidemia
of total and LDL CHOLs was higher in normal weight and hypertensives than their respective
overweight/obese and normotensive counterparts. Conclusion: Nondiabetic respondents with normal weight may be at higher risk of cardiovascular
disease through dyslipidemia than their overweight/obese counterpart. This metabolic
paradox requires further investigations in the Ghanaian population.
Key-words:
Dyslipidemia - hypertension - metabolic paradox - obesity - overweight - type 2 diabetes
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