Abstract

The prevalence of fatty liver disease in children is not well established and its relationship to childhood obesity is poorly defined. The present study of 810 northern Japanese school-aged children (4-12 years old), determined the prevalence of fatty liver and its relationship to gender and degree of obesity. Diagnosis of fatty liver was assessed by real-time ultrasonography.

RESULTS: 1. The overall prevalence of fatty liver is 2.6 %. 2. Fatty liver prevalence is higher for boys (3.4 %) than for girls (1.8 %), although not statistically significant (P = 0.15). 3. Fatty liver occurs in children as young as 6 years of age. 5. There is a strong positive correlation between fatty liver prevalence and established obesity indices (Rohrer's Index- X2 linear trend = 59.2, p < 0.0001; Body Mass index- X2 linear trend = 91.6, p < 0.0001; age-gender adjusted Japanese Standard Index of Weight for Height- X2 linear trend = 93.2, p < 0.0001). 6. There is also a strong positive correlation between fatty liver prevalence and abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness (X2 linear trend = 159, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION: These results indicate that fatty liver may develop very early in life, and there is a direct relationship between degree of obesity and fatty liver in children. Abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness and established obesity indices including Rohrer's Index, Body Mass Index, and the age- gender adjusted Japanese Standardized Index of Weight for Height are good predictors of fatty liver in the pediatric population. Among these obesity indices, abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness appears to be the best predictor and may be a useful marker for identifying children at risk of developing fatty liver and other serious metabolic complications associated with obesity.

School

School of Public Health

First Advisor

Glen Blix

Second Advisor

John Kurata

Third Advisor

Yang K. Chen

Fourth Advisor

James A. Peters

Degree Name

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Year Degree Awarded

1994

Date (Title Page)

6-1994

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Fatty Liver -- in infancy & childhood; Obesity -- in infancy & childhood; Epidemiology -- Japan; Ultrasonography

Type

Thesis

Page Count

xi; 98

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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