Indices of obesity, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance in apparently healthy Caribbean subjects

Reports from developing countries indicate that a rise in the socioeconomic level is a risk factor for metabolic disorders. We aimed to assess the indices of obesity, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance among fairly literate healthy adults in a multidisciplinary institution in Trinidad. The study included 156 volunteers (46 males and 110 females, 17–40 years old). The subjects provided information on age, ethnicity, educational attainment, and occupation in self‐administered, closed‐ended questionnaires. Waist and hip circumferences (cm), weight (kg), and height (m) were measured. Fasting blood samples were taken for glucose, insulin, and lipid determinations in 78 subjects who volunteered for laboratory measurements. Insulin resistance was determined with homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). Of the 156 subjects studied, 83% had received tertiary education, and had no previous record of body mass index (BMI); 8% were obese, 17% were overweight, and 27% were underweight. Laboratory measurements in 78 subjects revealed 28% hypercholesterolemia and 20% hyperinsulinemia. There were no significant gender‐related differences in these prevalence rates (P>0.05). The identification of obesity, underweight, hyperinsulinemia, and hypercholesterolemia in this healthy population suggests that screening for the indices of metabolic disorders in a healthy population would be potentially useful for the early identification and treatment of metabolic‐related disorders. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 17:6–11, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.