Health inequity and the risk of MAFLD/MASLD

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Hepatology
• Public Health

Background:

• Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty/steatotic liver disease (MAFLD/MASLD) impacts over a billion individuals worldwide.
• The intricate link between MAFLD/MASLD and health inequities requires further elucidation.
• The Arab region serves as a diverse model to investigate socioeconomic influences on liver disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the association between socioeconomic factors, food insecurity, and MAFLD/MASLD prevalence and outcomes.
• To utilize data from 22 Arab countries to model the impact of socioeconomic determinants on liver disease.

Main Methods:

• Extracted data from Global Burden of Disease 2021 and FAOSTAT for 22 Arab nations.
• Correlated MAFLD/MASLD metrics (prevalence, mortality, DALYs) with socioeconomic development index (SDI), healthcare access and quality (HAQ), and food security indicators.
• Employed statistical analysis to determine the strength and significance of observed relationships.

Main Results:

• MAFLD/MASLD prevalence showed a strong positive correlation with both SDI (r=0.83) and HAQ (r=0.90).
• Prevalence was negatively correlated with undernourishment (r=-0.47) and food insecurity (r=-0.85).
• Higher SDI correlated with increased prevalence but not mortality/DALYs, indicating healthcare infrastructure mitigates severe outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The relationship between socioeconomic status and MAFLD/MASLD is complex, with initial increases in prevalence linked to urbanization and food security.
• Advanced healthcare systems in high-income countries are crucial for reducing MAFLD/MASLD-related mortality.
• Addressing structural inequities and ensuring equitable healthcare access are vital for managing the global burden of liver disease.