Association of Resting Heart Rate With Insulin Resistance and Cardiometabolic Risk in Adults With Obesity
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61336/jdme.0502.05Keywords:
Resting heart rate, obesity, insulin resistance, HOMA-IR, cardiometabolic risk, metabolic syndrome, heart rate, inflammationAbstract
Resting heart rate is influenced by autonomic activity, physical fitness, metabolic status, and cardiovascular function. Elevated resting heart rate has been associated with adverse cardiometabolic outcomes, but its relationship with insulin resistance among adults with obesity requires further characterization. This study evaluated the association between resting heart rate, insulin resistance, and cardiometabolic risk factors in adults with obesity. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 196 adults aged 30–65 years with BMI ≥30 kg/m². Resting heart rate was measured after a standardized period of seated rest, while fasting glucose, insulin, lipid profile, blood pressure, and inflammatory biomarkers were assessed. Insulin resistance was estimated using HOMA-IR. Participants were divided into tertiles according to resting heart rate. Individuals in the highest heart-rate tertile had higher HOMA-IR, fasting insulin, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, and hs-CRP and lower HDL cholesterol than those in the lowest tertile. Resting heart rate demonstrated a positive correlation with HOMA-IR and several cardiometabolic risk markers. After adjustment for age, sex, BMI, physical activity, smoking status, and antihypertensive medication, resting heart rate remained independently associated with HOMA-IR. Participants in the highest resting-heart-rate tertile had approximately 2.6-fold greater odds of having high insulin resistance compared with those in the lowest tertile. These findings suggest that resting heart rate may provide a simple additional marker of metabolic and cardiovascular risk among adults with obesity.
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