Quantitative relationship between liver fat content and metabolic syndrome in obese children and adolescents

ObjectivePrevious studies have shown a significant association between quantified liver fat content (LFC) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adults, but the nature of this association in obese paediatric populations is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the quantitative relationship of LFC to MetS and its individual components in obese children and adolescents. DesignA population-based cross-sectional study. Patients and measurementsOne hundred and eighty-nine Chinese obese paediatric subjects aged 5-16years were enrolled. Measurements included MetS components, as defined by the Chinese-specific version of the International Diabetes Foundation MetS criteria (MetS-CHN2012), and LFC using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. ResultsLFC was significantly higher in subjects with MetS [median 97% (interquartile range 45-199%)] than without MetS [57% (20-128%)] (P<001). LFC was also positively associated with the total number of MetS components (P for trend <001). In analyses adjusted for traditional risk factors, increasing levels of LFC were associated with a greater risk of MetS, hypertriglyceridaemia and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P<005 for all associations), but were not associated with risk of hyperglycaemia or hypertension. ConclusionsIn obese Chinese paediatric patients, quantitative measures of LFC are positively associated with the risk of MetS, hypertriglyceridaemia and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, independent of traditional risk factors. These findings suggest that quantitatively measured LFC may be a clinically useful marker for identifying obese paediatric who are at increased risk of developing MetS and its components.