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Background and Objective: Dietary intake of β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin may be associated with reduce the risk of insulin resistance, due to their antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to determine the relation between dietary intake of β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin and the risk of insulin resistance in adults.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 938 (421 men and 517 women), aged between 19 to 82 years were selected from among participants of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study in Iran. Dietary intake of β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin were determined using a valid and reliable food frequency questionnaire. Fasting serum glucose and insulin were measured at base line and again after a 3-year of follow up. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the occurrence of insulin resistance across tetiles of β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin with adjustment for potential confounding variables.

Results: The mean age of participants was 40.7±12.1 years. β-carotene was inversely associated with insulin resistance after adjustment for confounder variables (95% CI= 0.25–0.72, OR= 0.42, P-value for trend=0.01). Also, an inverse association was found between dietary intake of β-cryptoxanthin and insulin resistance risk (95% CI= 0.30-0.84, OR= 0.51, P-value for trend=0.01).

Conclusion: There was inverse association between dietary intake of β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin and risk of insulin resistance in adults.

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Background and Objective: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is considered as a metabolic disorder and it is one of the most common endocrine and heterogeneous disorders with complex pathogenesis among women in reproductive ages. This study was done to evaluate the accuracy of diagnosis of lipid accumulate product index (LAP), insulin resistance, waist circumference and waist to hip ratio in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
Methods: In this case control study, antropometrics, biochemical parameters, LAP and insulin resistance in 43 women suffering from PCOS as case and 40 healthy women as control were measured. Body mass index (BMI), waist hip ratio (WHR) and waist circumference (WC) was determined for each subject. LAP was defined as [WC (cm)-58´TG (m mol/L)]. PCOS was diagnosed according to Roterdam standard .Insulin resistance was defined based on Homeostatic model assessment – insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).
Results: The mean age, BMI, WHR and LAP index, among PCOS women were 24.06±5.86, 26.61±4.34, 0.81±0.061 and 47.13±4.13, respectively. There was a direct and significant correlation between HOMA-IR index and BMI, WC and LAP in case group (P<0.05). Statistical analysis showed that the optimal cut-off value of LAP, BMI, WC and WHR were 46.93, 27.91, 93 and 0.81 respectively.
Conclusion: The WC, BMI and LAP indices are useful in screening the insulin resistance in patients with PCOS.