What is insulin resistance and why is it important?

Insulin Resistance is a metabolic condition that increases the chances of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Insulin is a hormone that regulates the amount of sugar that is in your bloodstream. Insulin moves sugar out of the blood stream into fat, muscle, and liver cells to be stored or used as energy.

When someone has Insulin Resistance, their fat, muscle, and liver cells to not respond to normal levels of insulin and the body has to make more insulin to move the same amount of sugar. You can think of these cells as being "resistant" to insulin's job, and therefore insulin is less effective. If this process continues without interruption and blood sugar levels are not controlled, then type-2 diabetes will develop.

  (Infographics www.cdc.gov)