Publication:

Prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease using surrogate indices among adults attending a tertiary care hospital in Eastern India

Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the most common chronic liver disorder worldwide and represents the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. In India, the burden of NAFLD is increasing rapidly due to rising prevalence of obesity, diabetes and sedentary lifestyles. Imaging-based diagnosis is resource-intensive, making surrogate indices useful for large-scale screening. To estimate the prevalence of NAFLD using fatty liver index (FLI) and to identify associated metabolic risk factors among adults attending a tertiary care hospital.

Methods A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Hitech Medical College and Hospital, Bhubaneswar, over six months. Adults aged ≥30 years were enrolled. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical parameters were recorded. FLI was calculated using body mass index, waist circumference, serum triglycerides and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels. FLI ≥60 was considered diagnostic of NAFLD. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression.

Results Among 210 participants, the prevalence of NAFLD was 32.4%. NAFLD was significantly associated with obesity, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and hypertension. Obesity and diabetes remained independent predictors on multivariate analysis.

Conclusions Nearly one-third of adults had NAFLD as detected by surrogate indices. FLI is a simple, cost-effective tool that can be used for opportunistic screening in routine clinical practice.