Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease and Bone Mineral Density in School-Aged Children in China: A...

Background/Objectives: To examine the association between metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and bone mineral density in school-aged children. To investigate the association between metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and bone mineral density among school-aged children using a propensity score-matched study design. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was performed using baseline data from the Beijing Children and Adolescents Health Cohort, with samples collected between September 2022 and May 2023. The study included 5170 children aged 7-18 years. Standardized questionnaires collected behavioral, lifestyle, and dietary data. Anthropometric measurements (height, weight, waist circumference) were obtained to calculate body mass index (BMI). Fasting venous blood samples were analyzed for glucose and lipid profiles. Clinical assessments included pubertal development evaluation, abdominal ultrasound for hepatic steatosis, oscillometric blood pressure measurement, quantitative ultrasound for calcaneal bone mineral density (BMD), and bioelectrical impedance analysis for body fat percentage. MAFLD was diagnosed as hepatic steatosis combined with metabolic abnormalities (assessed via BMI, blood glucose, lipid levels, and blood pressure). Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted at a 1:3 ratio between the MAFLD and non-MAFLD groups, matching on age, sex, and pubertal stage. Multiple linear regression, conditional logistic regression, and quantile regression (10th-90th percentiles) were used to analyze the association between MAFLD and BMD. Results: Of 5170 participants, 579 had MAFLD and were matched to 1737 non-MAFLD controls (standardized mean differences < 0.001). Children with MAFLD had higher BMI, body fat percentage, and waist circumference, and lower BMD versus controls. Multiple linear regression confirmed a significant negative association between MAFLD and BMD, which was stronger in boys and mid-pubertal children. Conditional logistic regression analyses further showed that boys with MAFLD had a higher risk of reduced BMD. The odds ratios were 1.77 (95% CI: 1.14-2.75) overall, 2.74 (95% CI: 1.56-4.81) among those aged 12-14 years, 1.81 (95% CI: 1.04-3.17) in mid-puberty, and 2.27 (95% CI: 1.17-4.40) in late puberty. Quantile regression revealed the strongest associations between MAFLD and BMD at the 40th-75th percentiles (regression coefficients: -9.5 to -6.7). Conclusions: MAFLD was associated with lower bone mineral density in children, with the strongest associations observed in the lower-to-middle range. Boys, children in mid-puberty, and those with obesity may represent particularly vulnerable groups with respect to bone health in the presence of MAFLD. This highlights the importance of early MAFLD identification and targeted interventions to mitigate long-term skeletal risks. Prospective studies are needed to clarify the causal pathways between MAFLD and pediatric bone health, and future research should integrate multiple factors to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.