title: Prevalence of suspected nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in Hispanic/Latino individuals differs by heritage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was shown to disproportionally affect Hispanic persons. We examined the prevalence of suspected NAFLD in Hispanic/Latino persons with diverse backgrounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied the prevalence of suspected NAFLD among 12,133 persons included in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. We collected data on levels of aminotransferase, metabolic syndrome (defined by National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines), demographics, and health behaviors. Suspected NAFLD was defined on the basis of increased level of aminotransferase in the absence of serologic evidence for common causes of liver disease or excessive alcohol consumption. In multivariate analyses, data were adjusted for metabolic syndrome, age, acculturation, diet, physical activity, sleep, and levels of education and income.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In multivariate analysis, compared with persons of Mexican heritage, persons of Cuban (odds ratio [OR], 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57-0.85), Puerto Rican (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.52-0.87), and Dominican backgrounds (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.54-0.93) had lower rates of suspected NAFLD. Persons of Central American and South American heritage had a similar prevalence of suspected NAFLD compared with persons of Mexican heritage. NAFLD was less common in women than in men (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.40-0.60). Suspected NAFLD associated with metabolic syndrome and all 5 of its components.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the basis of an analysis of a large database of health in Latino populations, we found the prevalence of suspected NAFLD among Hispanic/Latino individuals to vary by region of heritage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois. Electronic address: ekallwitz@lumc.edu.
authors.forename: Eric R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Kallwitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Martha L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Daviglus
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Matthew A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Allison
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Kristen T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Emory
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Lihui
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.
authors.forename: Mark H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kuniholm
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Jinsong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Studies Coordinating Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gouskova
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Amber
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pirzada
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Talavera
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Studies Coordinating Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Marston E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Youngblood
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois.
authors.forename: Scott J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Cotler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HCHS/SOL; Hispanic Americans; Life Style; Obesity; Steatohepatitis