IR & Chronic Diseases

Insulin Resistance & Chronic Disease — For Radiant Health

Insulin Resistance & Chronic Disease

Pearson r correlation coefficients between insulin resistance prevalence and condition prevalence in the USA and UK, 1975–2022. Ordered by estimated number of people affected (highest first). Rise figures show the change in condition prevalence from 1975 to 2022 based on the data series used in the individual condition analyses.

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# Condition r (USA) r (UK) Strength USA Prevalence UK Prevalence USA Rise 1975–2022 UK Rise 1975–2022
1 Hypertension All diagnosed high blood pressure IR & Hypertension → 0.97 0.95 Dominant ~48%of adults ~30%of adults +24%25% → 31% diagnosed +15%26% → 30% diagnosed
2 Arthritis Osteoarthritis & rheumatoid arthritis IR & Arthritis → 0.87 0.83 Strong 58M~22% of adults ~10M~15% of adults +41%13.5% → 19.0% +70%10.0% → 17.0%
3 Asthma All diagnosed asthma IR & Asthma → 0.89 0.85 Strong 8.2%~27M adults 12%~8M adults +173%3.0% → 8.2% +50%8.0% → 12.0%
4 IBS Irritable Bowel Syndrome IR & IBS → 0.71 0.74 Moderate 13.5%~45M adults 15.5%~10M adults +42%9.5% → 13.5% +48%10.5% → 15.5%
5 Alzheimer’s Disease “Type 3 Diabetes” — adults 65+ IR & Alzheimer’s Disease → 0.97 0.96 Dominant 10.9%of adults 65+ 7.9%of adults 65+ +142%4.5% → 10.9% (65+) +108%3.8% → 7.9% (65+)
6 Type 2 Diabetes Highest r in the series IR & Type 2 Diabetes → 0.98 0.97 Dominant 7.4%~25M adults 7.2%~4.3M adults +640%1.0% → 7.4% +620%1.0% → 7.2%
7 Stroke Including TIA / ischaemic stroke IR & Stroke → 0.96 0.95 Dominant 2.9%~7.5M adults 1.2%~1.3M adults +106%1.41% → 2.90% +134%0.50% → 1.17%
8 ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder IR & ADHD → 0.94 0.91 Dominant 10.5%~26M adults & children 6.0%~4M adults & children +950%1.0% → 10.5% +1,900%0.3% → 6.0%
9 Multiple Sclerosis Per 100,000 population IR & Multiple Sclerosis → 0.96 0.97 Dominant 310per 100,000 240per 100,000 +377%65 → 310 per 100k +300%60 → 240 per 100k
10 OCD Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder IR & OCD → 0.73 0.76 Moderate 2.6%~6.5M adults 1.4%~0.9M adults +44%1.8% → 2.6% +27%1.1% → 1.4%
11 MASLD (Fatty Liver Disease) Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease — formerly NAFLD IR & MASLD → 0.96 0.94 Dominant ~38%~100M adults ~29%~15M adults +633%~5% → 38% +580%~4% → 29%

Strength key:
Dominant = r ≥ 0.90 — insulin resistance accounts for the overwhelming majority of the trend.
Strong = r 0.80–0.89 — insulin resistance is a major driver alongside other contributing factors.
Moderate = r 0.70–0.79 — meaningful relationship; other factors also significant.
Rise figures reflect the data series used in the individual condition analyses (1975–2022 unless noted). Alzheimer’s figures are for adults 65+. MS figures are per 100,000 population. Ordering is by approximate number of people affected across the USA and UK combined.


The following conditions appear in the Insulin Resistance & Chronic Disease — Medication Paradigm and are established as IR-linked in the clinical literature. Individual 50-year correlation analyses with r values are not yet published for these conditions.

Condition IR Role USA on medication UK on medication USA adults % UK adults %
High Cholesterol / Dyslipidaemia Statins, fibrates, ezetimibe Primary cause 37.0M 7.5M 28.0% 25.0%
Cardiovascular Disease Antiplatelet, anticoagulants, nitrates, statins Primary cause 21.0M 3.5M 11.5% 7.6%
Depression & Anxiety SSRIs, SNRIs, anxiolytics Major contributor 45.0M 8.3M 17.0% 17.0%
IBD (Crohn’s & Colitis) Biologics, immunosuppressants, mesalazine Major contributor 2.4M 0.5M 1.3% 1.0%
GERD / Acid Reflux PPIs, H2 blockers (omeprazole, ranitidine) Contributing factor 28.0M 5.0M 20.0% 15.0%
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) ACE inhibitors, SGLT2i, erythropoietin Major contributor 7.0M 1.1M 3.8% 2.5%
PCOS Metformin, oral contraceptives, anti-androgens Primary cause 5.0M 1.0M 10.0%of women 10.0%of women
Gout Allopurinol, colchicine, febuxostat Major contributor 4.5M 0.7M 3.9% 2.5%
Sleep Apnoea CPAP (device), weight management drugs Major contributor 6.0M 0.9M 6.0% 4.0%

Strength key: Primary cause = insulin resistance is the dominant, well-established upstream driver. Major contributor = insulin resistance is a significant driver alongside other causes. Contributing factor = insulin resistance plays a measurable role; other mechanisms are also important. Medication figures draw on CDC National Health Interview Survey, NCHS, IQVIA, NHS Digital prescription data, and NHS Health Survey for England. Figures represent the 2022–2024 period.

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