Waist circumference correlates with hepatic fat accumulation in male Japanese patients with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease, but not in females

Abstract

Background and Aim: Abdominal obesity, a component of metabolic syndrome, is a major risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In recent worldwide definitions of metabolic syndrome, waist measurement has been proposed as a simple and useful estimate of abdominal obesity, taking into account gender differences in waist circumference. The present cross-sectional study investigated the correlation of hepatic fat accumulation and waist circumference in Japanese NAFLD patients to determine if there are gender differences in this relationship. Methods: Consecutive patients (n = 2111) who had at least one of two criteria for liver disease (alanine aminotransferase [ALT] level >30 IU/mL and aspartate aminotransferase [AST]/ALT ratio <1) underwent abdominal ultrasonography. Patients positive for hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus or autoimmune antibodies and whose alcohol intake was >20 g/ day were excluded. Patients with NAFLD underwent abdominal computed tomography. Hepatic fat accumulation was estimated by liver/spleen attenuation ratio (L/S ratio) and visceral adipose accumulation was measured as visceral fat area (VFA) at the umbilical level. Results: Of the 221 NAFLD patients, 103 were females. In males, the relationship between L/S ratio and waist circumference was negative (r = -0.356, P < 0.01), and there was no correlation in the female group. The relationship between L/S ratio and VFA was negative in both groups (males: r = -0.269, P < 0.01; females: r = -0.319, P < 0.01). Subcutaneous fat area/total fat area ratio at the umbilical level was larger in females than in males (P < 0.01). Conclusions: In NAFLD patients, waist measurement is more susceptible to gender differences than VFA.

Factors associated with visceral fat accumulation in the general population in Okinawa, Japan

“…VFA showed positive relationships with age ≥ 56, male gender, BMI ≥ 24. 4 ment for visceral fat accumulation, and the findings are in concordance with results from previous studies conducted within the Japanese population [10][11][12] . We focused on gender differences and the relationship between visceral fat accumulation and other clinical parameters.…”

A pilot trial of body weight reduction for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with a home-based lifestyle modification intervention delivered in collaboration with interdisciplinary medical staff

“…In an earlier study [19], the severity of liver steatosis was correlated with the amount of visceral fat accumulation. In the present study, we found that the reduction in visceral fat accumulation by appropriate therapy might ameliorate liver steatosis and improve liver function in patients with NAFLD.…”

The pathological role of visceral fat accumulation in steatosis, inflammation, and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

“…We have previously demonstrated a relationship between visceral fat accumulation and the development of IR in patients with NAFLD [3,13]. The present study was designed to examine the relationship between visceral fat accumulation and preclinical fatty liver in the general population, and the role of visceral fat accumulation in the histopathological progression of NASH in patients with NAFLD who underwent liver biopsy.…”