Insulin resistance with aging: Effects of diet and exercise

Insulin resistance, a reduction in the rate of glucose disposal elicited by a given insulin concentration, is present in individuals who are obese, and those with diabetes mellitus, and may develop with aging. Methods which are utilised to measure insulin sensitivity include the hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic and hyperglycaemic clamps and the intravenous glucose tolerance tests. Several hormones and regulatory factors affect insulin action and may contribute to the insulin resistance observed in obesity. In addition, abnormal free fatty acid metabolism plays an important role in insulin resistance and the abnormal carbohydrate metabolism seen in individuals who are obese or diabetic. Thus, the mechanisms underlying the development of insulin resistance are multifactorial, and also involve alterations of the insulin signalling pathway.