Prevalence of and risk factors for fatty liver in a general population of Shanghai, China.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence and risk factors of fatty liver (FL) among Shanghai adults.


METHODS
A cross-sectional ultrasonographic survey with randomized multistage stratified cluster sampling was used.


RESULTS
The study included 3175 subjects (1218 men) with a mean age of 52 years. FL was found in 661 (20.82%) subjects. After adjustment by age and sex, FL prevalence was found to be 17.29%, and the prevalences of alcoholic, suspected alcoholic and nonalcoholic FL were determined to be 0.79, 1.15 and 15.35%, respectively. Generally, age, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure, and the prevalences of obesity, diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia were all significantly higher in FL patients than in controls; In contrast, the levels of high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), education and physical activity were markedly lower. Multiple regression analyses showed that only nine factors (male, educational level, waist circumference, BMI, HDL-C, triglyceride, fasting plasma glucose, diabetes and hypertension) were closely related to FL. In excessive drinkers, obesity increased the risk for FL by 4.8-fold, but excessive drinking was associated with only a 1.5-fold increased risk in obese subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
FL in Shanghai is highly prevalent and mainly related to multiple metabolic disorders.
Fan
Jian-Gao
JG
Center for Fatty Liver, Shanghai First People's Hospital, JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China. fattyliver2004@hotmail.com
Zhu
Jun
J
Li
Xing-Jian
XJ
Chen
Lan
L
Li
Lui
L
Dai
Fei
F
Li
Feng
F
Chen
Shi-Yao
SY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors