Historical Changes in Weight Classes and the Influence of NAFLD Prevalence: A Population Analysis of 34,486 Individuals

Benjamin Kai Yi Nah, Cheng Han Ng (), Kai En Chan, Caitlyn Tan, Manik Aggarwal, Rebecca Wenling Zeng, Jieling Xiao, Yip Han Chin, Eunice X. X. Tan, Yi Ping Ren, Douglas Chee, Jonathan Neo, Nicholas W. S. Chew, Michael Tseng, Mohammad Shadab Siddiqui, Arun J. Sanyal, Yock Young Dan and Mark Muthiah ()
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Benjamin Kai Yi Nah: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore 119074, Singapore
Cheng Han Ng: MBBS Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
Kai En Chan: MBBS Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
Caitlyn Tan: MBBS Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
Manik Aggarwal: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55902, USA
Rebecca Wenling Zeng: MBBS Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
Jieling Xiao: MBBS Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
Yip Han Chin: MBBS Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
Eunice X. X. Tan: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore 119074, Singapore
Yi Ping Ren: Department of Internal Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore 119074, Singapore
Douglas Chee: Department of Internal Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore 119074, Singapore
Jonathan Neo: Department of Internal Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore 119074, Singapore
Nicholas W. S. Chew: Department of Cardiology, National University Heart Centre, National University Hospital, Singapore 119074, Singapore
Michael Tseng: Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
Mohammad Shadab Siddiqui: Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
Arun J. Sanyal: Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
Yock Young Dan: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore 119074, Singapore
Mark Muthiah: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore 119074, Singapore

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 16, 1-9

Abstract: Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease globally in tandem with the growing obesity epidemic. However, there is a lack of data on the relationship between historical weight changes 10 years ago and at present on NAFLD prevalence at the population level. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the relationship between weight classes and the prevalence of NAFLD. Methods: Data were used from the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2018. Univariate and multivariate general linear model analyses were used to obtain risk ratio (RR) estimations of NAFLD events. Results : In total, 34,486 individuals were analysed, with those who were lean at both time points as the control group. Overweight (RR: 14.73, 95%CI: 11.94 to 18.18, p < 0.01) or obese (RR: 31.51, 95%CI: 25.30 to 39.25, p < 0.01) individuals at both timepoints were more likely to develop NAFLD. Residual risk exists where previously obese individuals became overweight (RR: 14.72, 95%CI: 12.36 to 17.52, p < 0.01) or lean (RR: 2.46, 95%CI: 1.40 to 4.31, p = 0.02), and previously overweight individuals who became lean (RR 2.24, 95%CI 1.42 to 3.54, p = 0.01) had persistent elevated risk of developing NAFLD despite weight regression. Sensitivity analysis identified that a higher proportion of individuals with regression in weight class were diabetics and Mexican Americans, while fewer African Americans saw weight-class regression. Conclusions : Residual risk exists in patients who lost weight despite the smaller magnitude of effect, and targeted weight reductions should still be used to mitigate the risk of NAFLD at the population level.

Keywords: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; weight classes; body mass index (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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