Comparison of fatty liver disease development in overweight, obese and normal weight children

Abstract

Introduction: Prevalence of obesity can predispose children to development of fatty liver disease which, given the asymptomatic nature of this disease, may turn into cirrhosis at the end of adolescence if it is not treated. Objectives: This study aimed to compare overweight and obese children with normal weight ones in terms of prevalence of fatty liver disease. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from 2019 to 2020. A total of 952 children in the 6-18 years age group admitted to the Children medical and training center (Tabriz University of Medical Sciences) were enrolled using multistage cluster random sampling. The participants included 408 normal weight, 314 overweight, and 230 obese children. Chi-square and ANOVA tests were performed to compare the demographic information, anthropometric indices, and liver ultrasound results of the members in the three groups. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The prevalence rate of fatty liver disease in all participants was 16.91%, whereas that in the overweight and obese children was 29.59%. The results suggested that the prevalence of fatty liver was increasing in normal weight, overweight, and obese children. Conclusion: Overweight and obesity in children led to the development of fatty liver. Preventive measures must be taken because one third of the studied obese and overweight children developed fatty liver disease.