Prevalence of and risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a Chinese population: An 8-year follow-up study

• Published in: World journal of gastroenterology : WJG 2016-04, Vol.22 (13), p.3663-3669
• Main Authors: Lu, Zhen-Ya, Shao, Zhou, Li, Ya-Li, Wulasihan, Muhuyati, Chen, Xin-Hua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biomarkers - blood; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Body Mass Index; China - epidemiology; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Cross-Sectional Studies; disease; Follow-up; Prevalence; Risk; Dyslipidemias - diagnosis; Dyslipidemias - epidemiology; factors; fatty; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Hyperglycemia - diagnosis; Hyperglycemia - epidemiology; Hyperuricemia - diagnosis; Hyperuricemia - epidemiology; liver; Male; Middle Aged; Non-alcoholic; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - blood; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - diagnosis; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - epidemiology; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - prevention & control; Obesity - diagnosis; Obesity - epidemiology; Observational Study; Prevalence; Protective Factors; Risk Factors; Risk Reduction Behavior; Time Factors; Triglycerides - blood; Urban Health; Uric Acid - blood; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1007-9327; 2219-2840
• DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i13.3663

AIM: To investigate the prevalence of and risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) in a Chinese population.METHODS: A total of 1948 adults from China was followed for 8 years. A cross-sectional study was performed to investigate the prevalence of NAFLD at baseline, and then the participants were followed for 8 years to investigate risk factors for the development of NAFLD.RESULTS: A total of 1948 participants were enrolled at baseline, of whom 691 were diagnosed with NAFLD. During the 8-year follow-up, 337 baseline NAFLD-free participants developed NAFLD. They had a greaterincrease in body mass index(BMI), serum uric acid, fasting plasma glucose, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and a considerable decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. 123 participants who had NAFLD at baseline lost NAFLD during the 8-year follow-up period. They had a greater decrease in BMI, fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase.CONCLUSION: NAFLD is prevalent in Chinese population with a rapidly increasing tendency. It can be reversed when patients lose their weight, control their hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia, and reduce the liver enzyme levels.