Risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a Chinese population

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a serious health concern in China. The goal of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence of NAFLD and identify the risk factors associated with this disease in Northern China.

In 2007, a total of 6063 adults from Dehui, a city in Northern China, were surveyed and demographic and social-economic characteristics, life behaviors, and medical history were recorded. Among them, 3850 subjects were randomly selected for physical examination, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test, fasting lipid and liver function profiles, hepatitis B and C infection screening, and ultrasound examination. The frequency of NAFLD in this population was analyzed by the Chi-square test and the association of potential risk factors was analyzed by logistic regression.

The prevalence of NAFLD was 15.9% in this population and the prevalence in females was significantly higher than that in males, particularly for the elderly subgroup. Obesity, hypertension, FPG, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome (MS)-related hyperlipidemia were significantly associated with NAFLD. The data indicate that MS-related multiple risk factors synergistically increase the risk for NAFLD.

The prevalence of NAFLD is high in Northern China, which may be associated with the high incidence of diabetes, hypertension, and MS in this area.