Validation of Insulin Sensitivity and Secretion Indices Derived from the Liquid Meal Tolerance Test

A liquid meal tolerance test (LMTT) has been proposed as a useful alternative to more labor intensive methods of assessing insulin secretion and sensitivity. This substudy of a randomized, double‐blind, crossover study compared insulin sensitivity indices derived from a LMTT [Matsuda Insulin Sensitivity Index (MISI) and LMTT Disposition Index (LMTT‐DI)] with indices derived from minimal model analysis of data from the intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) [insulin sensitivity index (SI) and Disposition Index (DI)] in 24 men and women with increased abdominal adiposity (waist circumference ≥102 cm and ≥89 cm, respectively). The correlation between SI and the MISI was 0.78 (p<0.0001). The respective associations between SI and MISI with waist circumference (r = −0.45 and −0.55, both p<0.05) and body mass index were similar (r = −0.50 and −0.54, p<0.05). The correlation between DI and LMTT‐DI was 0.60 (p=0.002). These results indicate that indices of insulin sensitivity and secretion derived from the LMTT correlate well with those from the IVGTT with minimal model analysis, suggesting that the LMTT can be a useful tool for use in clinical and population studies on glucose homeostasis.