The Association between Physical Activity levels and Insulin Resistance in College Women

Introduction: The World Health Organization recommends young adults engage in physical activity (PA) daily. Regular PA has been shown to promote a better quality of life and improve overall health. Insulin resistance is a strong indicator of metabolic health in women because of its link to the development of disorders like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and diabetes. The objective of this research was to determine the relationships between insulin resistance, and amount of time spent in sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous PA. Methods: Thirty-eight women (20.8±2.7 years, 28.57±4.11kg/m2, 42.1% white) were asked to wear an accelerometer (Actigraph GT3X) on the waist over the course of 5 days to record their free-living physical activity. Insulin resistance was assessed using fasting blood samples and was estimated using Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance HOMA-IR. HOMA-IR = fasting insulin[microU/L] x fasting glucose [nmol/L]/22.5). To determine associations between HOMA-IR and levels of PA, a Pearson Correlation test was performed. Results: No correlation was found between any level of PA and HOMA-IR (sedentary: r=0.240, p=0.147, light: r=0.275, p=0.095, moderate: r=0.158, p=0.344, vigorous: r=0.239, p=0.148). Conclusion: Our findings did not show an association among different levels of PA and insulin resistance. This is inconsistent with other existing studies. To further confirm the results of this study, more research on accelerometer usage may be needed. Key Words: HOMA-IR, accelerometry, physical activity, healt