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. 2025 Mar 20;17(6):1092.
doi: 10.3390/nu17061092.

Impact of Alcohol Intake on Body Composition in Patients with Steatotic Liver Disease

Affiliations

Impact of Alcohol Intake on Body Composition in Patients with Steatotic Liver Disease

Masahiro Matsui et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the effect of alcohol intake on body composition in patients with steatotic liver disease (SLD). Methods: In men, group A (n = 819) was defined as non-drinkers, group B (n = 1147) as <30 g of ethanol equivalent per day, group C (n = 125) as between 30 and 60 g/day, and group D (n = 344) as >60 g/day. In women, group A (n = 749) was defined as non-drinkers, group B (n = 354) as <20 g/day, group C (n = 36) as between 20 and 50 g/day, and group D (n = 68) as >50 g/day. The fat-free (FF) index and fat (F) index were defined as FF mass and F mass divided by height squared (kg/m2). Results: The average FF index and F index in groups A, B, C, and D in men were 19.01, 19.29, 18.50, and 18.55 kg/m2 (overall p < 0.0001), and 6.28, 6.71, 5.66, and 6.03 kg/m2 (overall p < 0.0001). The average FF index and F index in groups A, B, C, and D in women were 16.03, 15.96, 15.62, and 15.07 kg/m2 (overall p < 0.0001), and 9.89, 9.02, 9.32, and 7.53 kg/m2 (overall p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Heavy drinking has a negative effect on skeletal muscle and fat, but complete abstinence from alcohol may not be necessary in SLD patients.

Keywords: alcohol; fat mass; fat-free mass; steatotic liver disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
FF index (A) and F index (B) among four groups in men (n = 2435). Group A was defined as non-drinkers, group B as those who drank less than 30 g of ethanol equivalent per day, group C as those who drank between 30–60 g of ethanol equivalent per day, and group D as those who drank more than 60 g of ethanol equivalent per day.
Figure 2
Figure 2
FF index (A) and F index (B) among four groups in women (n = 1207). Group A was defined as non-drinkers, group B as those who drank less than 20 g of ethanol equivalent per day, group C as those who drank between 20–50 g of ethanol equivalent per day, and group D as those who drank more than 50 g of ethanol equivalent per day.
Figure 3
Figure 3
FF index (A) and F index (B) among four groups in men with BMI > 25 kg/m2 (n = 1177).
Figure 4
Figure 4
FF index (A) and F index (B) among four groups in men with BMI ≤ 25 kg/m2 (n = 1258).
Figure 5
Figure 5
FF index (A) and F index (B) among four groups in women with BMI > 25 kg/m2 (n = 569).
Figure 6
Figure 6
FF index (A) and F index (B) among four groups in women with BMI ≤ 25 kg/m2 (n = 638).

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