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Associations between serum lipophilic antioxidants levels and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are moderated by adiposity

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 73, pages 1088–1090 (2019)Cite this article

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Abstract

We aimed to evaluate the association between serum lipophilic antioxidants and liver function and prevalent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The Nutrition and Health Examination Surveys data were used (randomly selected population, 2001 and 2006). A total of 9658 participants were included, of whom 44.6% had prevalent NAFLD. In adjusted logistic regression models, participants in the top quarter of vitamin A and E had 56% (95% confidence interval (95%CI): 45–68) and 34% (95%CI: 29–57) lower odds of NAFLD compared with participants in the bottom quarter. When levels of vitamin A changed from low (1.53) to high (1.95), the fatty liver index (FLI) in the low body mass index (BMI) category changed from 36.1 to 24.3. However, at the high BMI level, FLI changed from 84.3 to 65.1 suggesting that obesity modulates the effects of vitamin A on FLI. This study suggests a protective effect of antioxidants against NAFLD occurrence, which is likely modulated by adiposity. Given the cross-sectional design, our results need to be validated in prospective studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key State Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang, China

    Mohsen Mazidi

  2. Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, International College, University of Chinese Academy of Science (IC-UCAS), Chaoyang, China

    Mohsen Mazidi

  3. International Agency for Research on Cancer, Nutrition and Metabolism Group, Lyon, France

    Inge Huybrechts

  4. Non-Communicable Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council and University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Andre Pascal Kengne

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  1. Mohsen Mazidi
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  2. Inge Huybrechts
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  3. Andre Pascal Kengne
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Correspondence to Mohsen Mazidi.

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Mazidi, M., Huybrechts, I. & Kengne, A.P. Associations between serum lipophilic antioxidants levels and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are moderated by adiposity. Eur J Clin Nutr 73, 1088–1090 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-019-0413-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-019-0413-1

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