Insulin resistance means your body doesn’t respond to insulin the way it should, so your blood sugar can creep up. It usually has no symptoms, it is common in Indian women, and it often comes with belly fat and PCOS. A simple blood test can pick it up early, and regular movement, balanced home food, weight loss if you need it and good sleep can make a real difference.
Why it matters so much in India
The ICMR-INDIAB national study, published in 2023, tested more than 1 lakh adults across India. It found that 11.4% had diabetes and 15.3% had prediabetes, and 39.5% had abdominal obesity.
Insulin resistance often comes before prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Finding it early gives you years to change course.
Are you at risk?
According to NIDDK, the risk is higher if you:
- Carry extra weight, especially around your belly.
- Are not physically active.
- Have PCOS or sleep apnoea.
- Have a parent, brother or sister with type 2 diabetes.
- Are 35 or older.
- Smoke or are around smoke.
Check your waist. A 2009 consensus statement for Asian Indians set 80 cm (about 31.5 inches) as the waist cut-off for abdominal obesity in women. Measure at the level of your navel, standing relaxed, after breathing out. Our belly fat guide explains why waist size matters more than the number on the scale.
Signs to look out for
NIDDK says people with insulin resistance and prediabetes usually have no symptoms. That is why testing matters. One visible clue is dark, velvety patches of skin, often on the back of the neck, in the armpits or groin. Doctors call this acanthosis nigricans, and the American Academy of Dermatology notes it can be a sign of prediabetes. Scrubbing won’t remove it; tell your doctor instead.
The tests to ask your doctor about
- HbA1c: your average blood sugar over the past 2 to 3 months. NIDDK: 5.7% to 6.4% means prediabetes.
- Fasting blood glucose: NIDDK: 100 to 125 mg/dL means prediabetes.
- Oral glucose tolerance test, which your doctor may suggest in some cases.
Your doctor may also check your blood pressure, cholesterol and thyroid. Get tested if you have any of the risk factors above, even if you feel completely well.
What helps: daily habits
Move every day, and build muscle
WHO recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, such as brisk walking or dancing, plus muscle-strengthening activities. Your muscles use blood sugar for energy, so strength work with a chair, a dupatta or water bottles twice a week is worth it. A 10-minute walk after meals is an easy way to add movement to your day.
Lose weight slowly if you need to
In the US Diabetes Prevention Program, losing 5% to 7% of starting weight through better food and more activity reduced the chance of developing type 2 diabetes. For a 70 kg woman, that is about 3.5 to 5 kg. In India, the Indian Diabetes Prevention Programme found that lifestyle changes reduced the risk of diabetes by 28.5% in people whose blood sugar was already above normal.
Eat a balanced Indian plate
- Half your plate vegetables and salad, as the ICMR-NIN 2024 guidelines suggest.
- Dal, chana, paneer, curd, eggs or another protein at every meal.
- Whole grains and millets in sensible portions, instead of maida, white bread and biscuits.
- Whole fruit instead of juice, and much less added sugar: ICMR-NIN advises under 5% of daily energy.
- Fewer fried snacks, sweets and packaged foods.
Our PCOS diet guide shows the same plate with a sample day of meals.
Sleep and stress
Poor sleep and constant stress make it harder to eat well and stay active. If you snore loudly or stop breathing in your sleep, tell your doctor, as sleep apnoea is linked to insulin resistance. Our stress guide has a simple daily reset.
Don’t smoke
Smoking and second-hand smoke are on NIDDK’s list of risk factors.
Insulin resistance, PCOS and your 40s
Insulin resistance is common in women with PCOS (see our PCOS guide), and risk rises with age, so it is worth checking during perimenopause too.
When to see your doctor
- You have any of the risk factors above and haven’t had a blood sugar test in the past year.
- You notice dark, velvety skin patches on your neck or armpits.
- You feel very thirsty, pass urine often, feel unusually tired or lose weight without trying: these can be signs of diabetes.
- You are planning a pregnancy and have PCOS or a family history of diabetes.
How FunDa helps
The Superwoman Club works on exactly the habits that matter here: strength and dance workouts at home, nutrition built around your ghar ka khana with dietitian support, sleep and stress routines, daily check-ins and live sessions with Dr. Jyoti every week. We coach healthy habits alongside your doctor’s care; we don’t diagnose or treat insulin resistance or diabetes, never ask anyone to change their medication, and results vary from person to person.
Sources
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH). Insulin resistance & prediabetes (reviewed March 2025).
- Anjana RM et al. Metabolic non-communicable disease health report of India: the ICMR-INDIAB national cross-sectional study (ICMR-INDIAB-17). Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2023;11(7):474-489.
- Ramachandran A et al. The Indian Diabetes Prevention Programme shows that lifestyle modification and metformin prevent type 2 diabetes in Asian Indian subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IDPP-1). Diabetologia. 2006;49(2):289-97.
- Misra A et al. Consensus statement for diagnosis of obesity, abdominal obesity and the metabolic syndrome for Asian Indians. J Assoc Physicians India. 2009;57:163-70.
- American Academy of Dermatology. Diabetes: 10 warning signs that can appear on your skin.
- World Health Organization. Physical activity, fact sheet (26 June 2024).
- ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2024).