Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a young multiracial Asian population: a worrying ethnic predilection in Malay and Indian males

Chan WK 1 , Bahar N 2 , Razlan H 2 , Vijayananthan A 3 , Sithaneshwar P 4 , Goh KL 2

Affiliations 

  • 1 Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. wahkheong2003@hotmail.com
  • 2 Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 3 Department of Bio-Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 4 Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Hepatol Int, 2014 Jan;8(1):121-7.
PMID: 26202413 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-013-9510-8

Abstract

PURPOSE: Previous studies on multiracial Malaysian populations found inordinately high prevalence of NAFLD among Malays and Indians. Whether the prevalence of NAFLD is different among young adults of different ethnic origins is not known. We aimed to determine racial differences in NAFLD in a young multiracial Malaysian population and associated factors.

METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study on medical students from the University of Malaya. Diagnosis of NAFLD was by transabdominal ultrasonography and following exclusion of significant alcohol intake and other causes of chronic liver disease.

RESULTS: Data of 469 subjects were analyzed (mean age 23.2 ± 2.4 years, 40.3 % male). The racial distribution was: Chinese 53.9 %, Malay 30.5 % and Indian 15.6 %. The overall prevalence of NAFLD was 7.9 %. Subjects with NAFLD were older, had greater BMI and WC, higher SBP and DBP, higher FBS, serum TG and LDL levels, and lower serum HDL level. The prevalence of NAFLD was higher among males compared to females (17.9 % vs. 3.3 %, p 

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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