[Relation between dietary iron intake and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease]

To understand the level of the dietary iron intake of Harbin people, and explore the relation between dietary iron intake and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Total of 215 NAFLD patients and 215 control population were selected in Harbin and a dietary survey was performed with a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Then the dietary iron intake was calculated and the risk of iron for NAFLD was analyzed by logistic regression.

The levels of the dietary intake of iron, heme iron and nonheme iron in patientswith NAFLD (30.76 ± 17.11 mg/d, 5.03 ± 5.99 mg/d and 25.73 ± 12.99 mg/d, respectively) , were significantly higher than those in normal control (22.33 ± 10.96 mg/d, 2.63 ± 3.52 mg/d mg/d and 19.70 ± 9.08 mg/ d, respectively, P < 0.05). The results from logistic analysis showed that high dietary intakesof iron and heme iron were risk factors for NAFLD (iron: OR = 5.5, 95% CI 2.061-14.45, P = 0.001; heme iron: OR = 6.1, 95% CI 2.562-14.63, P < 0.001). But dietary intake of nonheme iron was not a risk factor for NAFLD.

The high dietary iron intake was a risk factor for NAFLD, so iron intake, especially the dietary heme iron intake, for the patients with NAFLD should be appropriate.