Low serum vitamin D concentrations are associated with obese but not lean NAFLD: a cross-sectional study
Background: A low serum vitamin D concentration has been reported to be associated with an increased risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, whether lean or obese individuals show a similar association between vitamin D and NAFLD remains speculative. This study aimed to explore the relationship between serum vitamin D concentration and NAFLD in lean and obese Chinese adults.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 2538 participants (1360 men and 1178 women) who underwent health checkups at the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine in 2019. NAFLD was diagnosed by liver ultrasound excluding other causes. The association of serum vitamin D concentration with NAFLD was analyzed in lean and obese participants.
Results: The overall prevalence of NAFLD was 33.61% (13.10% in lean and 53.32% in obese) in this study population. The serum vitamin D levels of obese NAFLD patients were lower than those of obese NAFLD-free controls. However, the serum vitamin D levels of lean NAFLD patients were comparable to those of lean NAFLD-free controls. Serum vitamin D level was negatively correlated with the prevalence of NAFLD in obese but not lean participants. Serum vitamin D level was independently associated with the risk of NAFLD in obese participants, with an adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) of 0.987 (0.981–0.993). However, serum vitamin D level was not related to the risk of NAFLD in lean participants.
Conclusions: A low serum vitamin D level is associated with NAFLD in obese but not lean participants.
Posted 12 Feb, 2021
On 25 Feb, 2021
Received 22 Feb, 2021
Received 14 Feb, 2021
On 11 Feb, 2021
On 07 Feb, 2021
Invitations sent on 07 Feb, 2021
On 06 Feb, 2021
On 06 Feb, 2021
On 06 Feb, 2021
On 07 Jan, 2021
On 02 Jan, 2021
Received 10 Dec, 2020
Received 10 Dec, 2020
On 29 Nov, 2020
On 20 Oct, 2020
Invitations sent on 19 Oct, 2020
On 14 Sep, 2020
On 13 Sep, 2020
On 11 Sep, 2020
On 09 Sep, 2020
Low serum vitamin D concentrations are associated with obese but not lean NAFLD: a cross-sectional study
Posted 12 Feb, 2021
On 25 Feb, 2021
Received 22 Feb, 2021
Received 14 Feb, 2021
On 11 Feb, 2021
On 07 Feb, 2021
Invitations sent on 07 Feb, 2021
On 06 Feb, 2021
On 06 Feb, 2021
On 06 Feb, 2021
On 07 Jan, 2021
On 02 Jan, 2021
Received 10 Dec, 2020
Received 10 Dec, 2020
On 29 Nov, 2020
On 20 Oct, 2020
Invitations sent on 19 Oct, 2020
On 14 Sep, 2020
On 13 Sep, 2020
On 11 Sep, 2020
On 09 Sep, 2020
Background: A low serum vitamin D concentration has been reported to be associated with an increased risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, whether lean or obese individuals show a similar association between vitamin D and NAFLD remains speculative. This study aimed to explore the relationship between serum vitamin D concentration and NAFLD in lean and obese Chinese adults.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 2538 participants (1360 men and 1178 women) who underwent health checkups at the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine in 2019. NAFLD was diagnosed by liver ultrasound excluding other causes. The association of serum vitamin D concentration with NAFLD was analyzed in lean and obese participants.
Results: The overall prevalence of NAFLD was 33.61% (13.10% in lean and 53.32% in obese) in this study population. The serum vitamin D levels of obese NAFLD patients were lower than those of obese NAFLD-free controls. However, the serum vitamin D levels of lean NAFLD patients were comparable to those of lean NAFLD-free controls. Serum vitamin D level was negatively correlated with the prevalence of NAFLD in obese but not lean participants. Serum vitamin D level was independently associated with the risk of NAFLD in obese participants, with an adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) of 0.987 (0.981–0.993). However, serum vitamin D level was not related to the risk of NAFLD in lean participants.
Conclusions: A low serum vitamin D level is associated with NAFLD in obese but not lean participants.