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Definition of insulin resistance
: reduced sensitivity to insulin by the body's insulin-dependent processes (such as glucose uptake and lipolysis) that is typical of type 2 diabetes but often occurs in the absence of diabetes
Examples of insulin resistance in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web For overweight patients, losing weight can help with the symptoms — but the hormonal issues can make this even harder than usual; the androgens and the insulin resistance tend to spur the body to gain weight, not lose it.
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Perri Klass, New York Times, "When a Teenager’s Irregular Periods Are Cause for Concern," 24 Feb. 2020 Visceral fat has been strongly linked to metabolic disease and insulin resistance, even for individuals with a BMI within the normal range.
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Stefani Sassos, Ms, Rdn, Cso, Good Housekeeping, "What Does It Mean to Be Skinny Fat? A Registered Dietitian Explains," 24 Feb. 2020 Research on sleep deprivation shows long-term sleep debt can lead to conditions like insulin resistance and heart disease; another study found fragmented sleep can lead to the acceleration of cancer growth.
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Ashley Abramson, Allure, "Sleep Debt 101: What to Know About Sleep Deprivation and Its Effects," 9 Mar. 2020 Spending years trapped in a cycle of losing weight, regaining it, then losing it again is associated with poorer cardiovascular health outcomes and contributes to hypertension, insulin resistance and high cholesterol.
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The Editors, Scientific American, "Doctors Need to Focus Less on a Patient’s Weight," 30 Jan. 2020 Soluble fiber in general is known for its ability to decrease the glycemic index in foods and lessen insulin resistance.
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Adele Jackson-gibson, Good Housekeeping, "Is Chicory Root Coffee Good for You? Here's What to Know About Its Health Benefits," 3 Feb. 2020 Kay also cites osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and changes in blood sugar regulation (insulin resistance can occur due to hormone changes) as other conditions women in this age group might experience.
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Stefanie Gordon, Woman's Day, "The Best Diets For Women Over 50 That’ll Fulfill All Their Health Needs," 20 Jan. 2020 Intermittent fasting is thought to improve insulin resistance, which can stabilize blood sugar levels.
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Scottie Andrew, CNN, "Eating in a 6-hour window and fasting for 18 hours might help you live longer," 25 Dec. 2019 Although there are many reasons why cats become diabetic, most cats have underlying insulin resistance, much like people with type 2 diabetes.
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Texas A&m University, Houston Chronicle, "PET TALK: Don’t sugarcoat it: The facts of feline diabetes," 23 Nov. 2019
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'insulin resistance.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Time Traveler for insulin resistance
The first known use of insulin resistance was in 1927
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