Prevalence and risk factors of fatty liver disease in Chengdu, Southwest China.
BACKGROUND
Fatty liver disease (FLD) is increasingly recognized as one of the most common chronic liver diseases in China. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of FLD in Chengdu, Southwest China, and to provide a relevant basis for the prevention and intervention of FLD.


METHODS
Altogether 9094 subjects (4721 men and 4373 women) of over 18 years old who had received a medical checkup in the West China Hospital of Sichuan University between January and December 2007 were evaluated for FLD. FLD was diagnosed by ultrasonography. Body mass index (BMI), height, body weight, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TCh), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were measured using routine laboratory methods.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of FLD was 12.5%, which was more than 3-fold higher in males than in females (18.9% vs. 5.7%, X2=359.624, P<0.001). The prevalence increased with age in females and males of less than 50 years. The prevalence of alcoholic, suspected alcoholic, and non-alcoholic FLD was 2.6%, 3.6%, and 6.3%, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that 10 factors (male sex, age, BMI, FPG, hypertension, TG, TCh, HDL-C, LDL-C, and ALT abnormalities) were closely related to FLD. In heavy drinkers, obesity increased the risk of FLD by 23.78-fold (95% CI, 10.22-55.33), but heavy drinking was only associated with a 2-fold (95% CI, 1.50-2.66) increased risk in obese subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of FLD among a health-checkup population in Chengdu, Southwest China was lower than the published for other areas of China. FLD in Chengdu adults was found to be closely associated with sex, age, BMI, and other metabolic syndrome features.
Li
Hong
H
Division of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases, National Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Wang
You-Juan
YJ
Tan
Ke
K
Zeng
Li
L
Liu
Li
L
Liu
Feng-Jun
FJ
Zhou
Tao-You
TY
Chen
En-Qiang
EQ
Tang
Hong
H
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005235:Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography