Low Omentin-1 Levels Linked to Obesity, Insulin Resistance, and Cardiometabolic Risk in Type 2 Diabetes, Suggests Study
A recent study published in the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism in June 2026 reveals a striking decline in the protective adipocytokine omentin-1 as adiposity and insulin resistance worsen in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Dropping sharply from 687.6 ng/L in non-obese patients to just 459.3 ng/L in obese patients, these plunging levels highlight omentin-1 as a powerful, emerging clinical marker for evaluating cardiometabolic risk.
While omentin-1 is known to be reduced in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), its specific distribution across varying body mass index (BMI) categories and its relationship with insulin resistance remain poorly characterized in Indian populations. To address this gap, Dr. Ikkurthi and colleagues investigated circulating omentin-1 levels across different BMI subgroups in adult males with T2DM to evaluate its association with key anthropometric and metabolic parameters.
Therefore, the cross-sectional study from South India evaluated 225 adult males with T2DM, equally stratified by body mass index into non-obese, overweight, and obese cohorts. Excluding patients with major preexisting comorbidities, researchers measured serum omentin-1 levels via ELISA. The primary goal was to analyze how omentin-1 correlates with surrogate insulin resistance markers and lipid profiles to assess its independent cardiometabolic implications.
Key Clinical Findings of the Study Includes:
Progressive Adipokine Depletion: Investigators observed that median serum omentin-1 significantly dropped as body weight climbed, recording 687.6 ng/L in the non-obese group, 587.6 ng/L in the overweight group, and bottoming out at 459.3 ng/L in the obese cohort.
Inverse Metabolic Relationships: Researchers noted profound negative correlations between circulating omentin-1 and critical cardiometabolic risk factors, notably BMI (γ = −0.703), waist-to-hip ratio (γ = −0.717), and the Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) (γ = −0.403).
Positive Sensitivity Indicators: Analysis revealed a favorable, statistically significant positive correlation between omentin-1 concentrations and the Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI) (γ = 0.403) as well as cardioprotective high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (γ = 0.354).
Independent Lipid Associations: Findings highlighted that low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) maintained a unique, independent association with circulating omentin-1 levels (β = 2.527) in prespecified multivariable models, further emphasizing its intricate tie to lipid metabolism.
The results suggest that circulating serum omentin-1 decreases significantly in parallel with escalating obesity, worsening insulin resistance, and increasing dyslipidemia in male patients diagnosed with T2DM. Furthermore, the independent linkage of omentin-1 with LDL-C levels highlights a profound physiological interaction with lipid handling and escalating cardiometabolic vulnerability.
Thus, the study concludes for healthcare professionals navigating diabetes management, these findings subtly indicate that measuring circulating omentin-1 could eventually serve as a valuable supplementary biomarker for identifying patients with a heightened adverse cardiometabolic risk profile.
While the cross-sectional design inherently limits the ability to establish strict causal relationships and the absence of a non-diabetic control group restricts broader comparative extrapolations, these intriguing initial correlations beautifully underscore the necessity for future longitudinal and mechanistic studies to ultimately clarify the prognostic utility of omentin-1 in everyday clinical practice.
Reference
Ikkurthi S, Srinivasan AR, Suresh V, Jayanthi R, Desai VS. Circulating omentin-1 across BMI categories in type 2 diabetes and its association with insulin resistance: A cross-sectional study from South India. Indian J Endocr Metab 2026;30:211-6.
