Transient Elastography Measures of Hepatic Steatosis and Fibrosis Are Associated With Body Composition Among US Adolescents

We examined transient elastography assessed hepatic steatosis and fibrosis distributions and relationships with body composition and lifestyle factors in a United States national adolescent population sample. Methods: Liver stiffness and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) were assessed on 1080 non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic Asian, and Hispanic boys and girls aged 12–19 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017–2018. Participants underwent anthropometry and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Results: Compared with girls, boys had higher mean CAP (223.7 dB/m vs 215.3 dB/m) and liver stiffness (5.1 kPa vs 4.9 kPa). CAP and liver stiffness increased markedly with body mass index (BMI). In multivariable-adjusted analysis, CAP in the upper quartile was associated with Hispanic and non-Hispanic Asian ethnicity and increased BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, and sedentary time, and decreased physical activity and Healthy Eating Index-2015 score. In multivariable-adjusted analysis, liver stiffness in the upper quartile was associated with male sex, non-Hispanic black ethnicity, and increased BMI, alanine aminotransferase, CAP, and serum cotinine. DXA total percent fat and trunk fat percent were positively related to CAP (P
Source: Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition - Category: Gastroenterology Tags: Original Articles: Hepatology Source Type: research