Serum retinol binding protein 4 is negatively related to beta cell function in Chinese women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Objective: Previous studies have reported inverse associations between certain healthy lifestyle factors and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but limited evidence showed the synergistic effect of those lifestyles. This study examined the relationship of a combination of lifestyles, expressed as Healthy Lifestyle Score (HLS), with NAFLD. Design: A community-based cross-sectional study. Questionnaires and body assessments were used to collect data on the six-item HLS (ranging from 0 to 6, where higher scores indicate better health). The HLS consists of non-smoking (no active or passive smoking), normal BMI (18·5–23·9 kg/m2), physical activity (moderate or vigorous physical activity ≥ 150 min/week), healthy diet pattern, good sleep (no insomnia or <6 months) and no anxiety (Self-rating Anxiety Scale < 50), one point each. NAFLD was diagnosed by ultrasonography. Setting: Guangzhou, China. Participants: Two thousand nine hundred and eighty-one participants aged 40–75 years. Results: The overall prevalence of NAFLD was 50·8 %. After adjusting for potential covariates, HLS was associated with lower presence of NAFLD. The OR of NAFLD for subjects with higher HLS (3, 4, 5–6 v. 0–1 points) were 0·68 (95 % CI 0·51, 0·91), 0·58 (95 % CI 0·43, 0·78) and 0·35 (95 % CI 0·25, 0·51), respectively (P-values < 0·05). Among the six items, BMI and physical activity were the strongest contributors. Sensitivity analyses showed that the association was more significant after weighting the HLS. The beneficial association remained after excluding any one of the six components or replacing BMI with waist circumference. Conclusions: Higher HLS was associated with lower presence of NAFLD, suggesting that a healthy lifestyle pattern might be beneficial to liver health.

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Association of Serum Bilirubin Level with Metabolic Syndrome and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study of 1672 Obese Children

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10132812 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (13) ◽

pp. 2812

Author(s):

Cristina Bellarosa ◽

Giorgio Bedogni ◽

Annalisa Bianco ◽

Sabrina Cicolini ◽

Diana Caroli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Fatty Liver ◽

Fatty Liver Disease ◽

Serum Bilirubin ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Obese Children ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽

Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

As in adults, obesity also plays a central role in the development of metabolic syndrome (MS) in children. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered a manifestation of MS. Not only MS but also NAFLD seem to be inversely associated with serum bilirubin concentrations, an important endogenous tissue protector when only mild elevated. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between serum bilirubin levels and the prevalence of MS and NAFLD in Italian obese children and adolescents. A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed in 1672 patients aged from 5 to 18 years. Clinical and laboratory parameters were assessed. NAFLD was measured by liver ultrasonography. The study was approved by the Ethical Committee of the Istituto Auxologico Italiano (research project code 1C021_2020, acronym BILOB). MS was present in 24% and fatty liver (FL) in 38% of this population. Bilirubin was not associated with FL and MS as a whole, but it was inversely associated only with selected components of MS, i.e., large WC, high blood pressure and high triglycerides. Our data suggest that bilirubin is not protective against MS and NAFLD in the presence of severe obesity.

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