Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan.
Department of Nutrition, Tsukuba Memorial Hospital, Tsukuba 300-2622, Japan.
Nutrients. 2023 Jun 16;15(12):2764. doi: 10.3390/nu15122764.
The incidence of non-obese non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), characterized by the presence of a fatty liver in individuals with a normal body mass index, is on the rise globally. Effective management strategies, including lifestyle interventions such as diet and exercise therapy, are urgently needed to address this growing public health concern. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between non-obese NAFLD, dietary habits, and physical activity levels. By elucidating these relationships, this research may contribute to the development of evidence-based recommendations for the management of non-obese NAFLD. The study had a single-center retrospective cross-sectional design and compared clinical data and dietary and physical activity habits between patients with and without non-obese NAFLD. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to investigate the relationship between food intake frequency and the development of NAFLD. Among the 455 patients who visited the clinic during the study period, 169 were selected for analysis, including 74 with non-obese NAFLD and 95 without NAFLD. The non-obese NAFLD group showed a less-frequent consumption of fish and fish products as well as olive oil and canola/rapeseed oil, while they showed more frequent consumption of pastries and cake, snack foods and fried sweets, candy and caramels, salty foods, and pickles compared to the non-NAFLD group. Logistic regression analysis revealed that NAFLD was significantly associated with the consumption of fish, fish products, and pickles at least four times a week. The physical activity level was lower and the exercise frequency was lower in patients with non-obese NAFLD compared to those without NAFLD. The results of this study suggest that a low consumption of fish and fish products and high consumption of pickles may be associated with a higher risk of non-obese NAFLD. Moreover, dietary habits and physical activity status should be taken into consideration for the management of patients with non-obese NAFLD. It is important to develop effective management strategies, such as dietary and exercise interventions, to prevent and treat NAFLD in this patient population.
非肥胖型非酒精性脂肪性肝病（NAFLD）的发病率呈全球上升趋势，其特征为体重指数正常的个体存在脂肪肝。目前迫切需要有效的管理策略，包括饮食和运动疗法等生活方式干预，以应对这一日益严重的公共卫生问题。本研究旨在探讨非肥胖型 NAFLD、饮食习惯和身体活动水平之间的关系。通过阐明这些关系，本研究可能有助于为非肥胖型 NAFLD 的管理制定基于证据的建议。该研究采用单中心回顾性横断面设计，比较了患有和不患有非肥胖型 NAFLD 的患者的临床数据、饮食和身体活动习惯。利用逻辑回归分析探讨了食物摄入频率与 NAFLD 发生之间的关系。在研究期间就诊的 455 名患者中，选择了 169 名进行分析，其中 74 名患有非肥胖型 NAFLD，95 名没有 NAFLD。与非 NAFLD 组相比，非肥胖型 NAFLD 组鱼和鱼制品以及橄榄油和菜籽油的食用频率较低，而糕点、蛋糕、零食和油炸甜食、糖果和焦糖、咸食和泡菜的食用频率较高。逻辑回归分析显示，NAFLD 与每周至少食用 4 次鱼、鱼制品和泡菜显著相关。与非肥胖型 NAFLD 患者相比，肥胖型 NAFLD 患者的身体活动水平较低，运动频率较低。本研究结果表明，低鱼和鱼制品摄入以及高泡菜摄入可能与非肥胖型 NAFLD 风险增加相关。此外，应考虑饮食和身体活动状况来管理非肥胖型 NAFLD 患者。开发有效的管理策略，如饮食和运动干预，对于预防和治疗该患者人群的 NAFLD 非常重要。
