The Effect of Menopausal Status, Insulin Resistance and Body Mass Index on the Prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is common and presents in a large proportion—up to 30%—of the global adult female population. Several factors have been linked with NAFLD in women, such as age, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. To extract appropriate details about the topic, we conducted an extensive search using various medical subject headings and entry terms including ‘Menopause’, ‘Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease’, ‘Insulin resistance’, and ‘BMI’. This exhaustive search resulted in a total of 180 studies, among which only 19 were able to meet the inclusion criteria. While most of these studies indicated a significant rise in NAFLD prevalence among postmenopausal women, two did not find strong evidence linking menopause with NAFLD. Moreover, it was observed that women with NAFLD had higher insulin resistance levels and BMIs compared to those without the condition. In summary, it is important to consider specific factors like risk profile, hormonal status, and age along with metabolic components when treating women presenting with NAFLD. There is need for data-driven research on how gender affects the sensitivity of biomarkers towards NAFLD as well as the development of sex-specific prediction models—this would help personalize management approaches for women, who stand to benefit greatly from such tailored interventions.