Title:
Risk Factors and Comorbid Conditions Associated with Insulin Resistance: Results from a Cross-sectional Study

Authors:
Amina Spaho and Ivana Zolota, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract:

Insulin resistance (IR) contributes to adverse metabolic and cardiovascular conditions, yet population data from Southeastern Europe are limited. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of adult participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina (n = 115) to assess self-reported IR prevalence and its associations with demographic, lifestyle, dietary, and metabolic/clinical factors, as long-term medication use. Associations were tested using chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests. Among 115 participants, 64 (55.7%) self-reported insulin resistance, which was not significantly higher than the expected reference value of 50% (one-sample proportion test, p = 0.1316). IR was significantly associated with age (p = 0.016), vitamin D deficiency (p = 0.0013), reporting at least one diagnosed condition (p = 0.0043), and hormonal medication use (p = 0.0032). Participants with IR were more likely to report frequent whole-grain intake (p = 0.0078) and less likely to report frequent refined-carbohydrate intake (p = 0.0381), patterns that may reflect post-diagnosis dietary changes. Symptoms more common in IR included sudden weight gain (p < 0.0001), increased hunger (p = 0.0091), sleepiness after meals (p = 0.0491), and fatigue (p = 0.0497). No significant associations were observed for sex or BMI. While low physical activity, chronic stress, and poor sleep were more common in the IR group, none reached statistical significance. In this population-based sample, IR clustered with younger age, vitamin D deficiency, reported comorbidity, specific symptoms, and hormonal medication use. These findings underscore the potential value of early screening and targeted health education and indicate the need for larger, longitudinal studies with detailed exposure measurement to confirm these associations.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.51505/ijmshr.2025.9502