NSCF Certified Personal Trainer Practice Exam

Chronic high blood insulin, or hyperinsulinemia, significantly influences body composition by promoting an increase in body fat. Insulin is an anabolic hormone that facilitates the uptake of glucose and fatty acids into cells for energy storage. When insulin levels are persistently elevated, the body remains in a state that encourages fat storage rather than fat utilization, leading to an accumulation of body fat.

This metabolic state results from several mechanisms. First, high levels of insulin lead to increased lipogenesis, the process through which fatty acids are converted into body fat. Additionally, insulin suppresses lipolysis, the breakdown of fat stores, further contributing to an increase in body adiposity.

Under conditions of hyperinsulinemia, the body's ability to use fat as a primary energy source diminishes, causing a reliance on glucose and amplifying the storage of fats. Hence, chronic high blood insulin levels can be associated with weight gain and an increase in body fat percentage, making the option indicating increased body fat the most accurate choice.