Risk factors associated with hepatic steatosis: a study in patients in the Northeast Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Although there are several studies in the international literature regarding hepatic steatosis, few large-scale studies of risk factors are available. OBJECTIVE: To verify potential risk factors associated with hepatic steatosis, such as: alcohol consumption, overweight, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: This is a case series study including a control group (without hepatic steatosis), carried out at the gastroenterology outpatient clinic in Northeast Brazil. The sample was composed of 219 patients with hepatic steatosis and 82 without the disease. RESULTS: There was an association between hepatic steatosis and socioeconomic status. Prevalence Ratio (PR) for family income ≤ 2 minimum wage was (PR = 1.35 CI 95%, 1.18-1.54) and education level < primary education (PR = 1.44, CI 95%,1.27-1.64). Regarding anthropometric and clinical characteristics and lipid profile, there was an association with overweight (PR = 1.59, CI 95%, 1.38-1.83), abdominal circumference in the range of very high risk (PR = 2.28, IC 95%,1.68-3.09), hypertension (PR = 1.30, CI 95%, 1.15-1.48) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (PR = 1.23, CI 95%, 1.07-1.64), low HDL-cholesterol (PR = 1,96, CI 95%, 1.55-2.48), hypertriglyceridemia (PR = 2.10, CI 95%, 1.64-2.68). In the regression model three variables remained independently associated to hepatic steatosis, abdominal circumference in the range of very high risk (PRadjusted = 1.74), low HDL-cholesterol (PRadjusted = 1.39) and overweight (PRadjusted = 1.28). CONCLUSION: The results showed an association of hepatic steatosis with some risk factors, being abdominal circumference (very high risk) the most strongly associated, followed by low HDL-cholesterol and overweight.

Body fat assessment by bioelectrical impedance and its correlation with anthropometric indicators.

INTRODUCTION: Since the excess of body fat is associated with higher morbid-mortality rates (mainly in adults), precise, reliable, cost-effective, and broadly applicable methods are necessary for its assessment in population-based studies and in clinical practice. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation between body fat estimated either by bioelectrical impedance or by the sum of skinfold thicknesses and anthropometric indicators of fat distribution. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted enrolled 348 undergraduate students (median 21 years), from the Federal University of Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil. RESULTS: 262 of the subjects were women. Mean body fat assessed by bioelectrical impedance was 22.3 ± 6.2% in women and 15.2 ± 4.2% in men. Body fat obtained by the sum of skinfold thicknesses was similar to that assessed by bioelectrical impedance only in men. A strong correlation was observed between body fat assessed by bioelectrical impedance and that assessed by the sum of the skinfold thicknesses, waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio. Regarding the conicity index, there was a moderate correlation for men and a weak correlation for women. CONCLUSIONS: The sum of skinfold thicknesses surrogate of body fat percentage and can be used to assess body fat when BIA is not available in the field. Additional information about central fat distribution can be supply by measuring the waist circumference or waist-to-height ratio.