J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001 Aug;86(8):3574-8. Insulin resistance as a predictor of age-related diseases Facchini FS, Hua N, Abbasi F, Reaven GM.

Summary: Individuals were evaluated after 4 to 11 years for heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cancer and type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance was an independent predictor for all clinical events. See the graphs below. No clinical events were observed in the most insulin-sensitive tertile.

Baseline measurements of insulin resistance and related variables were made between 1988–1995 in 208 apparently healthy, nonobese (body mass index < 30 kg/m2) individuals, who were then evaluated 4–11 yr later (mean ± SEM = 6.3 ± 0.2 yr) for the appearance of the following age-related diseases: hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

The effect of insulin resistance on the development of clinical events was evaluated by dividing the study group into tertiles of insulin resistance at baseline and comparing the events in these 3 groups. Clinical endpoints (n = 40) were identified in 37 individuals (18%) of those evaluated, including 12 with hypertension, 3 with hypertension + type 2 diabetes, 9 with cancer, 7 with coronary heart disease, 4 with stroke, and 2 with type 2 diabetes.

Twenty-eight out of the total 40 clinical events were seen in 25 individuals (36%) in the most insulin-resistant tertile, with the other 12 occurring in the group with an intermediate degree of insulin resistance. Furthermore, insulin resistance was an independent predictor of all clinical events, using both multiple logistic regression and Cox’s proportional hazards analysis.

Dr. Davis wrote," Insulin resistance is the evil process that lies behind low HDL, high triglycerides, small LDL particles, and VLDL and IDL. It’s also the process that makes us tired after meals, heightens inflammation that raises your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. Insulin resistance is the culprit behind the bulge hanging over some 100,000,000 American belts. "