Gender Differences in the Relationships among Metabolic Syndrome and Various Obesity-Related Indices with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in a Taiwanese Population.

I-Ting Lin,Da-Wei Wu,Szu-Chia Chen,Chih-Wen Wang,Mei-Yueh Lee

doi:10.3390/ijerph18030857

Abstract

The incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing worldwide, and it is strongly associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and some obesity-related indices. However, few studies have investigated gender differences in these associations. The aim of this study was to investigate associations among MetS and various obesity-related indices with NAFLD, and also look at gender differences in these associations. We enrolled participants who completed a health survey in southern Taiwan. MetS was defined according to the Adult Treatment Panel III for Asians, and the following obesity-related indices were calculated: body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist–hip ratio (WHR), lipid accumulation product (LAP), body roundness index (BRI), conicity index (CI), visceral adiposity index (VAI), body adiposity index (BAI), abdominal volume index (AVI), triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, and hepatic steatosis index (HSI). NAFLD was diagnosed when hepatic steatosis was noted on a liver ultrasound. A total of 1969 (764 men and 1205 women) participants were enrolled. Multivariable analysis showed that both male and female participants with MetS, high BMI, high WHtR, high WHR, high LAP, high BRI, high CI, high VAI, high BAI, high AVI, high TyG index, and high HSI were significantly associated with NAFLD. In addition, the interactions between MetS and gender, WHR and gender, LAP and gender, and TyG index and gender on NAFLD were statistically significant. Among these obesity-related indices, HSI and LAP had the greatest area under the curve in both men and women. Furthermore, stepwise increases in the number of MetS components and the values of indices corresponding to the severity of NAFLD were noted. In conclusion, our results demonstrated significant relationships between MetS and obesity-related indices with NAFLD, and also stepwise increases in the number of MetS components and the values of indices with the severity of NAFLD. MetS, WHR, LAP, and TyG index were associated with NAFLD more obviously in women than in men.

Highlights

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate associations among metabolic syndrome (MetS) and various obesity-related indices with Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and look at gender differences in these associations
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disorder in industrialized Western countries, with a reported prevalence of 6–35% worldwide [1].Int
The male participants with NAFLD were younger, had lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and higher SBP, DBP, prevalence rates of hyperlipidemia and metabolic syndrome (MetS), and higher aspartate aminotransferase (AST), ALT, fasting glucose, TG, uric acid, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist–hip ratio (WHR), lipid accumulation product (LAP), body roundness index (BRI), conicity index (CI), visceral adiposity index (VAI), body adiposity index (BAI), abdominal volume index (AVI), TyG index, and hepatic steatosis index (HSI) compared to the male participants without NAFLD

Summary

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate associations among MetS and various obesity-related indices with NAFLD, and look at gender differences in these associations

Methods

Results

Conclusion