The objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between the
triglyceride-HDL-
cholesterol ratio (TG:HDL-C) and
insulin sensitivity in
overweight and obese sedentary postmenopausal women. The study population consisted of 131 non-diabetic
overweight and obese sedentary postmenopausal women (age; 57.7+/-5.0 y; body mass index (BMI), 32.2+/-4.3 kg/m2). Subjects were characterized by dividing the entire cohort into tertiles based on the TG:HDL-C (T1<0.86 vs. T2=0.86 to 1.35 vs. T3>1.35, respectively). We measured (i)
insulin sensitivity (using the hyperinsulinenic-euglycemic clamp and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)), (ii) body composition (using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), (iii) visceral fat (using computed tomography), (iv) plasma
lipids,
C-reactive protein, 2 h
glucose concentration during an oral
glucose tolerance test (2 h
glucose), as well as fasting
glucose and
insulin, (v) peak oxygen consumption, and (vi) lower-body muscle strength (using weight training equipment). Significant correlations were observed between the TG:HDL-C and the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (r=-0.45; p<0.0001), as well as with HOMA (r=0.42; p<0.0001). Moreover, the TG:HDL-C significantly correlated with lean body mass, visceral fat, 2 h
glucose,
C-reactive protein, and muscle strength. Stepwise regression analysis showed that the TG:HDL-C explained 16.4% of the variation in
glucose disposal in our cohort, which accounted for the greatest source of unique variance. Other independent predictors of
glucose disposal were 2 h
glucose (10.1%),
C-reactive protein (CRP; 7.6%), and peak oxygen consumption (5.8%), collectively (including the TG:HDL-C) explaining 39.9% of the unique variance. In addition, the TG:HDL-C was the second predictor for HOMA, accounting for 11.7% of the variation. High levels of
insulin sensitivity were associated with low levels of the TG:HDL-C. In addition, the TG:HDL-C was a predictor for
glucose disposal rates and HOMA values in our cohort of
overweight and obese postmenopausal women.