Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education
Open Access

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between metabolic syndrome levels and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in an elderly agricultural and fishing occupational population in Taiwan. Methods: The study participants were conducted with a total of 4,221 (2,664 males and 1,557 females) healthy elderly subjects voluntarily admitted to a teaching hospital for a physical check-up in 2010. The diagnosis of NAFLD was based on ultrasound imaging. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the criteria of the Adult Treatment Panel III. Results: The prevalence of NAFLD and metabolic syndrome for this elderly study population was found to be 23.9% and 27.9%, respectively. The proportion revealing a statistically significant increase prevalent NAFLD with increasing metabolic risk factors (metabolic syndrome: 33%, metabolic risk factor 1-2: 53.1%, no metabolic risk factor: 14%, p<0.001). Using multiple logistic regression analysis, those who were in the ≥3 and 1-2 of metabolic risk factors had 1390 times (95%CI: 3.219-5.585) and 2240 times (95%CI: 1.451-2.506) the risk for NAFLD as compared to that in the no metabolic risk factors, respectively. Conclusion: Metabolic syndrome independently affects the development of NAFLD in elderly agricultural and fishing occupational population.

Biography

Yen-Wen Lai has completed his Bachelor of Health Care Administration in 2012 and currently has been studying as a master student of Public Health at Fu-Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan. His research interests include public health, occupational epidemiology, Health Care Administration.