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Carbohydrate but not fat is associated with elevated aminotransferases
1Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics
|March 21, 2012
Summary
High carbohydrate intake, common in Korean diets, is linked to elevated aminotransferase levels, a marker for liver health. Reducing carbohydrate proportion may be key for preventing liver conditions like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Metabolic Health
- Public Health
Background:
- High carbohydrate and simple sugar intake are linked to increased risks of obesity and metabolic syndrome.
- The Korean diet is characterized by a very high proportion of carbohydrates and low fat intake.
- Abnormal aminotransferase levels can indicate liver damage and are associated with metabolic dysfunction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between dietary carbohydrate proportion and aminotransferase levels in the Korean population.
- To understand the impact of high carbohydrate intake on liver enzyme activity in a specific demographic.
- To identify potential nutritional strategies for managing liver health in populations with high carbohydrate consumption.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES), including 19,749 participants.
- Assessed dietary intake, including amounts and types of consumed foods, using the 24-hour recall method.
- Analyzed the relationship between macronutrient proportions (carbohydrate and fat) and aminotransferase activity, adjusting for covariates.
Main Results:
- Mean carbohydrate and fat proportions were 67.7% and 17.4% of total energy intake, respectively.
- Aminotransferase activity increased with higher carbohydrate proportion in energy intake, showing a J-shaped curve peaking at >70% carbohydrate.
- High carbohydrate intake (>70%) was associated with abnormal aminotransferase activity and metabolic syndrome, even after adjusting for age, energy intake, and BMI.
Conclusions:
- Dietary carbohydrate proportion, not fat, is positively correlated with abnormal aminotransferase activity in Koreans.
- Findings suggest that reducing carbohydrate proportion may be beneficial for liver health in populations with high carbohydrate intake.
- This research provides insights for nutrition education strategies targeting non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in high-carbohydrate-consuming societies.
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