Sex and age differences in the association of fatty liver index-defined non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with cardiometabolic risk factors: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Highlights There is a lack of evidence exploring sex- and age-related differences on the epidemiological risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. In our sample, hepatic steatosis assessed by FLI is more prevalent in men than women and is associated with age, lower social class and a dysmetabolic state characterized by prediabetes or diabetes, prehypertension or hypertension and low HDL-cholesterol. Importantly, we observed that although FLI-defined NAFLD is strongly associated with cardiometabolic imbalances in both sexes, its association with diabetes and hypertension is stronger in women than in men, regardless of age. We also observed that such association in women is evident even at stages preceding diabetes and hypertension and at younger ages.

Keywords

• Fatty liver index
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• Cardiometabolic risk factors
• Metabolic syndrome
• Sex
• Age