Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Obese Children: Frequency, Metabolic Profiles, and Associated Risk Factors

Abstract

Objective: To find out the metabolic profiles and risk factors for Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in obese children. Methodology:It was cross sectional study spanning from February 2022 to June 2023, involving the inclusion of children aged 5-18 years with BMI ≥95th percentile, at the paediatric unit of combined military hospital, Rawalpindi. Thorough evaluations, encompassing anthropometric measurements, lipid profiles, thyroid levels, LFTs, FBS assessments, and blood pressure measurements, were systematically performed. The diagnosis of NAFLD was established through the use of ultrasonography by detecting fatty changes in the liver by evaluating the liver's echogenicity in comparison to the kidney, portal vein, and diaphragm. Results:The study examined 82 children, having mean age of 10.46 ± 3.8 yrs with a mean Body mass index-Z score of 2.45 ± 0.45. Notably, 63.4% of the obese children were identified with NAFLD. Among those with NAFLD, elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) levels were significantly elevated compared to their non-NAFLD counterparts (p-value < 0.05). Additionally, a significant association was found between NA-Fatty Liver Disease and waist circumference (p-value<0.05). Conversely, no statistically significant associations were noted between NAFLD and lipid profile, fasting blood sugar levels, hypertension, sub-clinical hypothyroidism, acanthosis nigricans, and family history of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus (p-value>0.05). However, daily screen time, daily playtime, and the type of daily food exhibited significant associations with NAFLD (p-value < 0.05). Conclusion:NAFLD is notably prevalent among obese children. Timely diagnosis is crucial as untreated NAFLD can progress to chronic liver disease and contribute to significant morbidity in children.