Prevalence of fatty liver disease and its risk factors in the population of South China

Abstract

AIM:To investigate the population-based prevalence of fatty liver disease (FLD) and its risk factors in Guangdong Province, China. METHODS:A cross-sectional survey with multiple-stage stratified cluster and random sampling of inhabitants over 7-year-old was performed in 6 urban and rural areas of Guangdong Province, China. Questionnaires, designed by co-working of epidemiologists and hepatologists, included demographic characteristics, current medication use, medical history and health-relevant behaviors, i.e., alcohol consumption, smoking habits, dietary habits and physical activities. Anthropometric measurements, biochemical tests and abdominal ultrasonography were carried out. RESULTS:Among the 3543 subjects, 609 (17.2%) were diagnosed having FLD (18.0% males, 16.7% females, P > 0.05). Among them, the prevalence of confirmed alcoholic liver disease (ALD), suspected ALD and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were 0.4%, 1.8%, and 15.0%, respectively. The prevalence rate (23.0%) was significantly higher in urban areas than (12.9%) in rural areas. After adjustment for age, gender and residency, the standardized prevalence of FLD in adults was 14.5%. Among them, confirmed ALD, suspected ALD and NAFLD were 0.5%, 2.3%, and 11.7%, respectively, in adults and 1.3% (all NAFLD) in children at the age of 7-18 years. The overall prevalence of FLD increased with age in both genders to the peak of 27.4% in the group of subjects at the age of 60-70 years. The prevalence rate was significantly higher in men than in women under the age of 50 years (22.4% vs 7.1%, P < 0.001). However, the opposite phenomenon was found over the age of 50 years (20.6% vs 27.6%, P < 0.05). Multivariate and logistic regression analysis indicated that male gender, urban residency, low education, high blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, waist to hip ratio, serum triglyceride and glucose levels were the risk factors for FLD.CONCLUSION: FLD, especially NAFLD, is prevalent in South China. There are many risk factors for FLD.

Prevalence of ultrasound-diagnosed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a hospital cohort and its association with anthropometric, biochemical and sonographic characteristics

“…The 40.0% prevalence of ultrasound-diagnosed NAFLD in our study population was higher than the prevalence observed in previous ultrasoundbased cross sectional studies of the general population in Italy [3] (20 %) or Israel [6] (30.5%), as well as in Taiwan [7] (11.5 %), China [9,10] (15.3% and 17.2%), Sri Lanka [8] (32.6%) and Texas [5] (33% in whites, using magnetic resonance spectroscopy). Most likely, this difference can be explained or may have been expected, respectively, based on the higher prevalence of (components of) the metabolic syndrome in patients as compared to randomly selected individuals within the general population.…”

Epidemiological modifiers of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: Focus on high-risk groups

“…16,20 Most, though not all, studies have shown that advancing age and male sex affect the risk of NAFLD, independently of coexisting MetS features. [21][22][23][24][25][26] Other studies, although confirming that men are at higher risk of NAFLD, have shown an inverse association between NAFLD and age. [27][28][29][30] Conversely, in women, advancing age, menopausal status and MetS features are all independent predictors of NAFLD.…”

Global burden of NAFLD and NASH: trends, predictions, risk factors and prevention

“…As an exam ple, NAFLD prevalence in the populations of Chengdu (southwest China), Shanghai (east China), Guangdong (south China) and central China was 12.5%, 15.0%, 17.0% and 24.5%, respectively [45][46][47] . On the other hand, an ultrasonography study of 7,152 workers in Shanghai published in 2012 suggested that NAFLD prevalence was as high as 38.17% 48 .…”