Mamabolo, Ramoteme, L.Berti, ChristianaMonyeki, Makama, A.Kruger, H. Salome2016-01-132016-01-132014Mamabolo, R.L. et al. 2014. Association between insulin-like growth factor-1, measures of overnutrition and undernutrition and insulin resistance in black adolescents living in the north-west province, South Africa. American journal of human biology, 26(2):187-197. [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajhb.22498/epdf]1520-6300 (Online)http://hdl.handle.net/10394/15853http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajhb.22498/epdfhttps://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.22498Objective To determine if insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a significant predictor of body fat percentage (%BF), lean body mass, and insulin resistance (IR) in black adolescents presenting with overnutrition and undernutrition. Methods A cross-sectional study was undertaken in 181 adolescents (111 girls, 70 boys, 13–20 years old) from a low socio-economic population in the North-West Province, South Africa. Anthropometric measurements were performed, and %BF and lean mass were assessed by air displacement plethysmography. Serum glucose, leptin, insulin, IGF-1 and IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) were measured and homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR) was calculated. Predictors of body composition and HOMA-IR were determined in multivariate linear regressions. Results Of the boys, 31% had a %BF >20%, whereas 42% of girls had a %BF >30%. Furthermore, 17.1% male and 18.9% female adolescents were stunted, indicating overnutrition and undernutrition in the same group. IGF-1 showed a negative association with %BF in both sexes, and a positive correlation with height-for-age z-score (HAZ) and lean mass, respectively, in the boys. IGF-1 correlated positively and physical activity correlated negatively with fasting insulin and HOMA-IR in the girls. In both sexes, leptin had the strongest association with %BF in multiple regressions. Leptin and Tanner stage were significant predictors of HOMA-IR in girls, but not in boys. Conclusions IGF-1 was positively associated with lean mass and HAZ in boys, indicating a beneficial relationship with linear growth, but with IR in the girls, indicating possible adverse metabolic effects in the presence of high %BF and physical inactivity. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:189–197, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.enArticle