Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Jan 14, 2012; 18(2): 156-167
Published online Jan 14, 2012. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i2.156
Protective effect of alcohol consumption for fatty liver but not metabolic syndrome
Masahide Hamaguchi, Takao Kojima, Akihiro Ohbora, Noriyuki Takeda, Michiaki Fukui, Takahiro Kato
Masahide Hamaguchi, Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
Takao Kojima, Akihiro Ohbora, Takahiro Kato, Department of Gastroenterology, Murakami Memorial Hospital, Asahi University, Gifu 500-8523, Japan
Noriyuki Takeda, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Murakami Memorial Hospital, Asahi University, Gifu 500-8523, Japan
Michiaki Fukui, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
Author contributions: Hamaguchi M and Kojima T designed research; Hamaguchi M, Kojima T, Ohbora A, Takeda N and Kato T performed research; Hamaguchi M analyzed data; and Hamaguchi M and Fukui M wrote the paper.
Supported by A grant from the Gifu Medical Association; Young Scientists (B) from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, No. 23790791, in part
Correspondence to: Takao Kojima, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Murakami Memorial Hospital, Asahi University. 3-23 Hashimoto-cho, Gifu 500-8523, Japan. tkojima-gi@umin.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-58-2538001 Fax: +81-58-2533299
Received: January 10, 2011
Revised: March 23, 2011
Accepted: March 30, 2011
Published online: January 14, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the effect of alcohol on the metabolic syndrome (MS) and fatty liver in Japanese men and women.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a medical health checkup program at a general hospital. This study involved 18 571 Japanese men and women, 18-88 years of age, with a mean body mass index of 22.6 kg/m2. A standardized questionnaire was administered. The total amount of alcohol consumed per week was calculated, and categorized into four grades. Fatty liver was examined by ultrasound modified criteria of the revised National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III and the new International Diabetes Federation.

RESULTS: The prevalence of fatty liver decreased in men and women with light to moderate alcohol consumption, whereas the prevalence of MS was not so changed. The prevalence of fatty liver of any grade in men was lower than that in those with no or minimal alcohol consumption. In women with light to moderate alcohol consumption, prevalence of fatty liver was lower than that in women with no or minimal alcohol consumption. By logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio (OR) for MS in women with light alcohol consumption was decreased to < 1.0, but this change was not clear in men. The OR for fatty liver was clearly < 1.0 in men with any level of alcohol consumption and in women with light to moderate consumption.

CONCLUSION: Light to moderate alcohol consumption has a favorable effect for fatty liver, but not for MS in Japanese men and women.

Keywords: Alcoholic hepatitis; Epidemiology; Fatty liver; Metabolic syndrome; Alcohol consumption