Insulin resistance, a condition in which the body’s cells do not respond properly to insulin, is linked to 31 different diseases and increases the risk of premature death in women, a new study shows.

The researchers presented their findings at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) annual meeting in Madrid, Spain, and found a strong link between insulin resistance and diseases such as Parkinson’s, gout and sciatica.

Insulin resistance is a common factor in type 2 diabetes, with being overweight and inactivity being major contributors. It also increases the risk of heart disease, but its full impact on health is not yet clear.

To research this further, Jing Wu from Shandong University in China and her team analysed data from over 4,29,000 people from the UK Biobank. They measured insulin resistance using the TyG index, which calculates blood sugar and fat levels.

The study tracked the participants’ health for an average of 13 years. Those who had higher insulin resistance were more likely to have 26 diseases, including sleep disorders, bacterial infections, and pancreatitis.

A one unit increase in insulin resistance increased the risk of sleep disorders by 18%, the risk of bacterial infections by 8%, and the risk of pancreatitis by 31%.

Interestingly, insulin resistance is also associated with a lower risk of certain diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease (16% lower) and osteoporosis (13% lower).

Insulin resistance increased the risk of death by 11% in women, but this association was not found in men.

The findings highlight the importance of early intervention and lifestyle modifications, such as exercise and a balanced diet, to reduce the risk of insulin resistance and related diseases.