Search resultsAlcohol consumption appears to protect against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Title
Alcohol consumption appears to protect against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2011
Authors
Journal
Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Volume
33
Issue
3
Pagination
378 - 388
Date published
2011
ISBN
02692813 (ISSN)
Keywords
Adult, alcohol consumption, Alcohol Drinking, article, Asian Continental Ancestry Group, controlled study, Cross-Sectional Studies, cross-sectional study, diastolic blood pressure, disease association, drinking behavior, dyslipidemia, echography, Exercise, fatty liver, Female, glucose intolerance, human, Humans, hypertension, hyperuricemia, Japan, Japanese, liver function test, major clinical study, male, metabolic syndrome X, Middle Aged, nonalcoholic fatty liver, obesity, prevalence, priority journal, questionnaire, Risk Factors, sex difference, Statistics as Topic, systolic blood pressure, Time Factors, Ultrasonography
Abstract
Background Moderate alcohol consumption may have certain beneficial effects against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is associated with metabolic syndrome. Aim To determine the association between drinking pattern and fatty liver in Japanese men and women. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed with health checkup data including information concerning alcohol consumption and ultrasonographic assessment of fatty liver. Results We analysed 4957 men and 2155 women without reported liver diseases (median age, 49 years). In men, 40% of nondrinkers and 28% of drinkers had fatty liver. Alcohol consumption was inversely associated with fatty liver (adjusted odds ratio, 0.54; 95% confidence interval, 0.46-0.63). The prevalence of fatty liver in each category of drinking frequency was 38% (1-3 days/week), 29% (4-6 days/week), and 24% (daily drinking); there was a significant inverse correlation between drinking frequency and the prevalence of fatty liver (P < 0.001). In women, 16% of nondrinkers and 10% of drinkers had fatty liver. Drinking less than 20 g on 1-3 days/week was associated with low prevalence of fatty liver (adjusted odds ratio, 0.47; 95% confidence interval, 0.23-0.96). Conclusions Alcohol consumption appears to protect against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.