High prevalence of dyslipidemia irrespective of obesity in the cape coast metropolis of Ghana

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationship between obesity, insulin resistance, and lipid profile in type 2 diabetes patients and nondiabetic controls in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. Patients and Methods: Levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin, lipid profile, insulin resistance, and β-cell function were measured in 115 diabetes patients and 115 age-matched nondiabetic controls. In addition, body weight, height, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference, and blood pressure were measured. Body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio were calculated. Results: Apart from diabetes patients with normal weight who exhibited higher (P < 0.05) FBG but lower systolic blood pressure than their overweight/obese counterparts, levels of all the other metabolites were comparable between the two weight groups in both diabetics and nondiabetic controls. Diabetic patients with systolic hypertension had higher (P < 0.05) low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and WC but nondiabetic hypertensives had lower (P < 0.05) FBG than their respective normotensives. In people with diabetes, dyslipidemia of total cholesterol (CHOL), LDL, and triglyceride were more prevalent in overweight/obese and systolic hypertensives. In controls, prevalence dyslipidemia of total and LDL CHOLs was higher in normal weight and hypertensives than their respective overweight/obese and normotensive counterparts. Conclusion: Nondiabetic respondents with normal weight may be at higher risk of cardiovascular disease through dyslipidemia than their overweight/obese counterpart. This metabolic paradox requires further investigations in the Ghanaian population.