Features of eating behavior in children with different forms of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

Aim – to study the features of the eating behavior (EB) in children with different forms of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) - simple steatosis (SS) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), to compare the obtained data with the eating behavior of children without liver steatosis. 120 patients aged 7 to 16 years were examined, the average age of the patients was (12.00 ± 2.56) years. The presence and degree of liver steatosis was determined by transient elastography using a FibroScan®502Touch with an assessment of CAP (controlled attenuation parameter). According to the CAP, gender-specific alanine aminotransferase levels and body mass index, patients were divided into 4 groups: 1 group consisted of 26 patients with NASH, 2 group – of 44 patients with SS, 3 group – of 35 patients with obesity without liver steatosis, 4 group (control) – of 15 patients with normal weight without metabolic disorders. The groups were homogeneous in age. Assessment of EB was carried out using the pediatric modification of the Dutch eating behavior questionnaire (DEBQ-C). It was found that most patients with SS (75,0%) and NASH (87,5%) demonstrated an emotional type of EB. The restrictive type of EB was predominant in obese children without hepatic steatosis (73,7%). The total score of the restrictive type of EB in children of the 3 group was significantly higher compared with the data of the 4 group (p<0,05). The external type of EB occurred in 25% of children with SS and was not observed in children with NASH. Thus, children with NAFLD and obesity are characterized by an increased incidence of various types of unhealthy eating behavior compared to children with normal weight, which requires appropriate correction and involvement of psychologists in a team of specialists involved in the health care of the obese children.