Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 24, 2026
Randomized Controlled Trial to Study the Acute Effects of Strength Exercise on Insulin Sensitivity in Obese Adults
Published on: December 1, 2023
Relation between acanthosis nigricans and insulin sensitivity in overweight Hispanic children at risk for type 2
Hassan A Kobaissi1, Marc J Weigensberg, Geoff D C Ball
1Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Health Sciences Campus, 1540 Alcazar Street, Rm. 208-D, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
Insights
Acanthosis nigricans (AN) is an independent risk factor for insulin resistance in overweight Hispanic children. However, body adiposity remains the primary determinant of insulin sensitivity, with AN scoring adding minimal clinical value.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Metabolic Health
- Diabetes Risk Assessment
Background:
- Overweight Hispanic children with a family history of type 2 diabetes are at increased risk for insulin resistance.
- Acanthosis nigricans (AN) is a clinical sign often associated with insulin resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if acanthosis nigricans (AN) presence is linked to insulin sensitivity (S(i)) independently of adiposity in Hispanic children.
- To assess if AN severity scoring improves clinical estimation of insulin sensitivity beyond AN presence alone.
Main Methods:
- 131 overweight Hispanic children (ages 8-13) with a family history of type 2 diabetes were studied.
- Physical examination assessed AN presence, extent, texture, and combined score.
- Insulin sensitivity (S(i)) was measured using the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test and minimal modeling.
Main Results:
- Body Mass Index (BMI) was the primary predictor of S(i), explaining 41% of variance.
- The presence of AN independently explained an additional 4% of S(i) variability.
- AN scale scoring (extent or texture) did not significantly enhance S(i) prediction.
Conclusions:
- AN is an independent risk factor for insulin resistance in this population, but adiposity is the main driver of S(i).
- Clinical assessment of AN severity through scale scoring offers minimal added value for estimating insulin resistance beyond BMI and AN presence.
Objective:
To investigate in a population of Hispanic children if 1) the presence of acanthosis nigricans (AN) is related to insulin sensitivity (S(i)) independent of adiposity and 2) scale scoring AN severity adds to the clinical estimation of insulin sensitivity, above and beyond the presence or absence AN alone.
Research Design And Methods:
The study population, 131 Hispanic overweight children (mean BMI percentile 97.0 +/- 3.1, 72 boys, 59 girls, ages 8-13 years, mean Tanner stage 2.4 +/- 1.5) with a family history of type 2 diabetes, underwent a physical examination of the neck to determine AN absence or presence (0-1), AN extent score (0-4 scale), AN texture score (0-3 scale), and an AN combined score (extent + texture; 0-7 scale). S(i) was measured by the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test and minimal modeling. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to determine the role of BMI and AN in predicting S(i).
Results:
BMI was the main predictor of S(i), explaining approximately 41% of the variance. The presence of AN explained an additional 4% of the variability in S(i); scale scoring of AN extent or texture did not significantly improve the prediction.
Conclusions:
Although AN is an independent risk factor for insulin resistance in overweight Hispanic children at risk for type 2 diabetes, body adiposity is the primary determinant of insulin sensitivity. In addition, scale scoring AN seems of minimal usefulness in clinically estimating the severity of insulin resistance over and above assessing the presence or absence of AN and calculating BMI.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Type II Diabetes I: Introduction
01:24Type II Diabetes II: Pathophysiology
01:22Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
01:25Type II Diabetes Mellitus III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnosis
01:15Diabetes: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications
01:22Diabetes Mellitus: Overview and Type I Subtype
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. As a result, the body is unable to produce sufficient insulin, and individuals with...