Tissue specific insulin resistance in human obesity

A physiological approach to lipid metamolism

Over the last decades, the prevalence of obesity has reached epidemic proportions and obesity and its metabolic consequences are major contributors to morbidity and mortality worldwide.
Obesity is strongly linked to the development of insulin resistance, which in turn is a major
risk factor in the development of cardiometabolic diseases. Insulin resistance can develop
simultaneously in multiple organs and severity may vary between organs. Over the years, it has been convincingly shown that there is a complex interplay between metabolic insulin
sensitive organs involved in lipid metabolism, such as adipose tissue, skeletal muscle and liver. In addition, impairments in lipid metabolism play an important role in the development and progression of insulin resistance. The present thesis therefore aimed to study multiple aspects of lipid metabolism in relation to whole-body and tissue-specific insulin resistance using a physiological approach.

Birgitta van der Kolk, May 3th 2018