title: Early growth and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adulthood-the NAFLD liver fat score and equation applied on the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prenatal and childhood growth influence the risk of developing the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Both conditions are associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Our aim was to explore the associations between early growth and adult NAFLD.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 1587 individuals from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study (HBCS) born 1934-44 for whom birth, childhood, and adult clinical data were available. NAFLD was defined using the NAFLD liver fat score and equation. The score was converted into a dichotomous variable, with outcomes defined as either a positive or negative score. The equation predicts liver fat percentage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A positive score was found in 43% of men and 22.5% of women. Several measurements of birth and childhood body size were negatively associated with both NAFLD outcomes after adjustment for adult BMI. Those from the smallest BMI tertile at age 2 who were obese in adulthood had an OR of 18.5 for a positive score compared to those from the same group who were normal weight in adulthood.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A larger childhood body size was negatively associated with NAFLD outcomes. Individuals who are small during early childhood and obese as adults seem to be at the highest risk of developing NAFLD.
authors.affiliation: Folkhälsan Research Centre, Helsinki, Finland. Samuel.Sandboge@thl.fi
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sandboge
authors.forename: Mia-Maria
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Perälä
authors.forename: Minna K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Salonen
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Blomstedt
authors.forename: Clive
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Osmond
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kajantie
authors.forename: David J P
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: Johan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Eriksson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*