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In a study of 258 volunteers with excess weight, a triglyceride/HDL ratio of 1.8 in SI units was the best cut-off for detecting insulin resistance. The volunteers did not have a blood sugar disorder.[1]
On this page you can read what the triglyceride/HDL ratio is, what the guidelines say about a value that is too low or too high, what affects your value and which values are best to look at alongside it.
Also known as: TG/HDL ratio, ratio of triglycerides to HDL cholesterol. At the lab: n/a.
The ratio divides your triglycerides by your HDL cholesterol. Both are fats in your blood. HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein.[1]
In the study by McLaughlin and colleagues, the ratio was one of the three most useful metabolic values for detecting insulin resistance. The other two were triglycerides and insulin.[1]
In that study, a person counted as insulin resistant if their result fell in the top third of an insulin test. This test measures how well the body takes up sugar under the influence of insulin.[1]
Insulin resistance is more common in people with excess weight. According to the researchers, it is linked to a higher risk of a blood sugar disorder and of heart and blood vessel conditions.[1]
There is no standardised measurement of insulin. That is why the researchers call the cut-off for triglycerides or for this ratio the most practical way to detect insulin resistance.[1]
Of the people with insulin resistance, 64% had a ratio above the cut-off. Of the people without insulin resistance, 68% had a ratio below it. So the ratio is a clue, not a certainty.[1]
| Value | Can point to | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| 1.8 or higher in SI units[1] | insulin resistance (the best cut-off in the study) | volunteers with overweight (a BMI of 25 kg/m2 or higher) and no blood sugar disorder |
| 3.0 or higher in conventional units[1] | insulin resistance (the same cut-off in different units) | volunteers with overweight (a BMI of 25 kg/m2 or higher) and no blood sugar disorder |
| below 1.8 in SI units[1] | does not rule out insulin resistance: the cut-off picked up 64% of people with insulin resistance | volunteers with overweight (a BMI of 25 kg/m2 or higher) and no blood sugar disorder |
Source: McLaughlin and colleagues, Annals of Internal Medicine, 2003. A study in volunteers with excess weight, not a guideline for everyone.[1]
In people with excess weight, a ratio of 1.8 or higher in SI units can point to insulin resistance. According to the researchers, this is linked to a higher risk of a blood sugar disorder and of heart and blood vessel conditions. A doctor looks at your whole result.[1]
BioProfile is working on its own zones for each value, from risk to optimal. A doctor reviews those zones before they appear in your result.
Insulin resistance is more common with excess weight. The ratio was among the values that best showed which of the people with excess weight were insulin resistant.[1]
The study measured blood fats after fasting. So the study's cut-off applies to a fasting measurement.[1]
According to the researchers, lifestyle steps such as a lower body weight and exercise reduce insulin resistance. This study did not measure what that does to your ratio.[1]
The triglyceride/HDL ratio is included in BioProfile 77, 87, 121 and 150.[2]
The BioProfile editorial team wrote this page on 17 October 2026 from the sources below, which we read on 17 October 2026. Every number on this page comes from one of those sources, with that source's number next to it. An expert has yet to check this page; once checked, the expert's name and the date of the check will appear at the top. This page explains and does not diagnose. Talk to your GP about a value that is out of range.
