A 48-year-old Indian woman is referred to the metabolic clinic for management of severe hypertriglyceridemia (fasting triglycerides 1200 mg/dL) and recurrent acute pancreatitis. She is overweight (BMI 31 kg/m²), has poorly controlled type 2 diabetes (HbA1c 9.2%), and reports minimal alcohol intake. Her lipid profile shows: total cholesterol 420 mg/dL, LDL-C 240 mg/dL, HDL-C 28 mg/dL, triglycerides 1200 mg/dL. She is not on any lipid-lowering therapy. Her liver function tests are normal. Which of the following best explains the mechanism underlying her severe hypertriglyceridemia and the associated increase in VLDL production?