2018 Volume 33 Issue 3 Pages 478-485
Objective: In recent years, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma associated with increased incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcoholic liver disease (ALD) have become a problem．In view of this, we evaluated people for fatty liver by abdominal ultrasonography and examined associations between it and metabolic factors.
Methods: Our subjects were 5,436 persons who underwent abdominal ultrasonography in health check-ups in 2015. They were assessed for presence of fatty liver and those with fatty liver were divided into 3 groups according to alcohol consumption as follows: NAFLD-low consumption group, moderate consumption group and ALD-high consumption group.
Results: Fatty liver was detected in approximately 46% of men and 22% of women. There were significant associations of fatty liver with BMI, abdominal circumference, blood pressure, glucose metabolism and liver function tests in all 3 groups, as compared with subjects without fatty liver. Also, in a comparison by alcohol consumption, as consumption increased, TG, HDL-C and liver enzymes were more elevated．In an examination by lifestyle habits, irrespective of gender or alcohol amount, fatty liver was independently associated with “increase in bodyweight of at least 10 kg since age 20”. In men, fatty liver was independently associate with lack of “exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes, at least twice weekly for at least a year” and for moderate alcohol consumption and ALD groups, it was independently associated with “dinner within 2 hours before bedtime at least 3 times a week”.
Conclusion: From a young age, it is important to conduct interventions for lifestyle habits as well as health guidance including that on alcohol consumption.
