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Observational Study
. 2022 Jul;30(7):1472-1482.
doi: 10.1002/oby.23478.

Ethnic disparities in liver fat accumulation in school-aged children

Jasmin M de Groot  1   2 , Madelon L Geurtsen  1   2 , Susana Santos  1   2 , Vincent W V Jaddoe  1   2
Affiliations
Observational Study

Ethnic disparities in liver fat accumulation in school-aged children

Jasmin M de Groot et al. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2022 Jul.

Abstract

Objective: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has a different prevalence in adults from different ethnic groups. This study examined whether these ethnic differences originate in early life and could be explained by early-life factors.

Methods: This observational study was embedded in a population-based prospective cohort study from fetal life onward among 2,570 children born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Information about prepregnancy, pregnancy, and childhood factors, as well as childhood BMI, was obtained from questionnaires and physical examinations. Liver fat was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging at age 10 years.

Results: Median liver fat fraction was 2.0% (95% CI: 1.2%-5.3%), and NAFLD prevalence was 2.8%. Children from a Turkish background had the highest median liver fat percentage (2.5%, 95% CI: 1.2%-10.7%) and NAFLD prevalence (9.1%). Children of Cape Verdean, Dutch Antillean, Surinamese-Creole, or Turkish background had a higher total liver fat fraction compared with children with a Dutch background (p < 0.05). After controlling for early-life factors, these differences persisted only in children with a Turkish background.

Conclusions: Prevalence of liver fat accumulation and NAFLD differs between ethnic subgroups living in the Netherlands, especially for those with a Turkish background. Early-life factors have a strong influence on these associations and may hold clues for future preventive strategies.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared no conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Bar graphs displaying liver fat and weight category distribution for each ethnic group. (A) Median liver fat fraction for each ethnic group, along with the corresponding interquartile range. Medians are presented as liver fat fraction was non‐normally distributed. (B) Proportion of NAFLD presence for each ethnic group, with the absolute number of cases per group above each bar. (C) Proportion per weight category in percentage for each ethnic group. NAFLD, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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