Prevalence & Risk Factors of Non-Alcohol Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in Urban & Rural Communities of Pakistan

Abstract

Background: The rising condition of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been widely observed in South Asia due to the increasing trends of urbanization and lifestyle factors because of metabolic disturbances. Objective: To identify the prevalence of NAFLD risk factors, along with metabolic and sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, in the adult population of Pakistan’s urban and rural settings. Methods: This study was carried out using a cross-sectional approach involving 108 adults who attended the general hospital of Sialkot in Pakistan. The study used a structured questionnaire to gather information regarding the sociodemographic factors of the participants. Anthropometric measurements were also done. NAFLD was also identified using the criterion of the absence of severe alcohol consumption along with the absence of chronic liver diseases alongside the criterion of the detection of hepatic steatosis through ultrasonography. Statistical computation was carried out using the software package SPSS version 25. Results: The prevalence of NAFLD was 48.1%. The prevalence of NAFLD was higher in the urban group than the rural group (56.3% vs. 36.4%; p=0.042). In the NAFLD group, there were higher levels of BMI, waist measurement, ALT levels, AST levels, and triglyceride levels, along with lower levels of HDL. Conclusion: NAFLD has been found to be prevalent within this dual non-rural community of Pakistani patients and has been found to be strongly linked to obesity, diabetes, and a sedentary lifestyle.