Insulin resistance, obesity and hypertension: is the link waist circumference?

Obesity, insulin resistance and systemic hypertension are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, and are clearly inter-related. However, the exact nature of their relationship remains unclear. A review of evidence from epidemiological and experimental studies, emphasizing a link between these three determinants of cardiometabolic abnormalities, suggests that obesity (particularly abdominal obesity) may play a central role in the association between insulin resistance and hypertension. This concept remains to be confirmed by future research.