Assessment of metabolic status in young Japanese females using postprandial glucose and insulin levels

Lifestyle-related diseases develop through the accumulation of undesirable lifestyle habits both prior to the onset of disease as well as during normal healthy life. Accordingly, early detection of, and intervention in, metabolic disorders is desirable, but is hampered by the lack of an established evaluation index for young individuals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of a biomarker of health in young female subjects. The subjects were young healthy Japanese females in whom energy expenditure was measured for a period of 210 min after a test meal. In addition, Δplasma glucose and Δserum insulin were calculated from the fasting and 30 min values. ΔPlasma glucose and Δserum insulin levels varied widely compared to fasting levels. Both the area under the curve of carbohydrate oxidation rate and serum free fatty acid levels were higher in individuals in the high Δplasma glucose group. Moreover, Δplasma glucose was higher in individuals in the high Δserum insulin group than in the low Δserum insulin group. We conclude that nutritional balanced liquid loading test using Δplasma glucose and Δserum insulin as the evaluation index is useful for the detection of primary metabolic disorders in young females.