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Racial differences in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in the US population
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Racial differences in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in the US population

Andrea L. C. Schneider, Mariana Lazo, Elizabeth Selvin and Jeanne M. Clark
Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), v 22(1)
Jan 2014
PMID: 23512725
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.20426View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Endocrinology & Metabolism Life Sciences & Biomedicine Nutrition & Dietetics Science & Technology
Objective To characterize the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by race in a nationally representative sample of the U.S. population and to investigate potential explanatory factors for racial disparities. Design and Methods Cross-sectional study of 4,037 non-Hispanic white, 2,746 non-Hispanic black, and 2,892 Mexican-American adults in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. NAFLD was defined using ultrasound and with elevated aminotransferases. Results Age-adjusted prevalence of NAFLD was highest in Mexican-Americans (21.2%), followed by non-Hispanic whites (12.5%), and was lowest in non-Hispanic blacks (11.6%). Even after adjustment for demographic, lifestyle, adiposity, and metabolic factors, compared to non-Hispanic whites, Mexican-Americans were more likely to have NAFLD (OR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.26, 2.22). Non-Hispanic blacks were significantly less likely to have NAFLD with elevated aminotransferases (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.27, 0.97). Racial differences were attenuated among those with normal BMI and among never drinkers. Conclusion In this representative sample of the U.S. population, we found significant racial differences in the prevalence of ultrasound-defined NAFLD (with and without elevated liver enzymes). The racial differences were not fully explained by lifestyle, adiposity, and metabolic factors. More works is needed to identify potential contributors.

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Web of Science research areas
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Nutrition & Dietetics
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