OBJECTIVETo describe the incidence and related risk factors of fatty liver disease in the general population of Northwest China.

METHODSThe study was a cross-sectional survey with multiplestage stratified cluster and random sampling. All participants were 18 years or older and resided in northwest provinces of China.Demographic and behavioral data was gathered by questionnaire.Clinical data such as height, body weight, waist circumference, biochemical function (standard tests) and liver status (ultrasonographic examination) were also collected.

RESULTSAmong the 2 300 total study participants, 1 523 were habitual drinkers (total drinking rate: 66.2%). This population of drinkers was composed almost exclusively of males. There were 201 cases of alcoholic liver disease (total prevalence:8.7%), represented by mild alcoholic injury (prevalence: 4.2%), alcoholic fatty liver (3.8%), alcoholic hepatitis (0.5%), and alcoholic cirrhosis (0.3%).When examined according to provinces of residence, the prevalence of alcoholic liver disease followed this pattern: Shaanxi (14.0%), Gansu (8.6%), and Xinjiang autonomous region (5.0%). Of the total 337 cases of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (total prevalence: 14.7%), the prevalence by province was: Shaanxi (18.5%), Gansu (10.3%), and Xinjiang autonomous region (16.6%). Individuals with alcoholic liver disease had significantly higher mean age (years), body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, average daily alcohol intake, and level of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotraasferase (ALT) (vs. Those with no liver disease, P less than 0.05). Individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease had significantly higher mean age (years), height, body weight, BMI, waist circumference, level of AST and ALT, and presence of obesity, abdominal obesity, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus and hypertension (vs. Those with no liver disease, P less than 0.05). Multiple logistic regression demonstrated that alcoholic liver disease was closely related to age, sex, and average daily alcohol intake. The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease was positively correlated to age, female sex, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and BMI.

CONCLUSIONThe drinking-rate and prevalence of fatty liver disease is high in Northwest China, but the most prevalent type is nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.Fatty liver disease is closely related to age, sex, average daily alcohol intake, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and BMI.