Genetic variants associated with fasting insulin levels are reported in a study this week in Nature Genetics. Their findings provide insights into the genetic basis of insulin resistance.

Claudia Langenberg and colleagues report a genome-wide association analyses for glycemic traits in 52 studies including over 90,000 non-diabetic individuals. They applied a new joint meta-analysis approach for association testing with fasting insulin and glucose levels, which allowed for adjustment and interaction with body mass index (BMI). They identify six loci newly association with fasting insulin levels. They note that the risk variants were also associated with higher triglyceride and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, suggesting a role in insulin resistance.