INS and diabetes mellitus: The strikingly high odds of diabetes mellitus (pooled OR >12) and hypertension (pooled OR ≈2.6), coupled with an atherogenic dyslipidemic profile (↑triglycerides, ↓HDL, unfavourable lipid ratios), align with the broader pathophysiological framework of IBD as a systemic inflammatory condition that promotes peripheral insulin resistance, visceral adiposity, and endothelial dysfunction-even in non-obese individuals [2, 18, 19, 24].