Relationship between metabolically healthy obesity and the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

Objective To investigate the role of metabolically normal obesity in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD). Methods From 2011 to 2012, a cross-section survey with 4 757 participants enrolled from four communities in Wenzhou was conducted. Data collection was conducted through questionnaire survey, physical examination, laboratory examination, and multiple logistic regression analysis was used to comprehensively identify the risk factors of NAFLD. Results 1 068 individuals(22.4%) were diagnosed as metabolically healthy obesity. The prevalence of NAFLD was 43.5%. Among the various obesity phenotypes, the proportions ranked from high to low were metabolically unhealthy obese(MUO), metabolically unhealthy nonobese(MUNO), metabolically healthy obese(MHO) and metabolically healthy nonobese(MHNO). Obesity was defined by waist circumference and BMI, the risk of NAFLD in MHO population was 3.38 times(95% CI:2.13-5.37) and 4.69 times(95% CI:3.01-7.16) higher than that of MHNO, respectively. Conclusions MHO is associated with an increased risk of NAFLD in the Chinese population. It is necessary to screen for NAFLD in obese subjects regardless state of metabolic health.

Keywords

• metabolically healthy obesity|non-alcoholic fatty liver disease|waist circumference|bmi