Nutritional assessment in obese children with and without non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in an Urban Area of Punjab, India Goyal Pooja1, Thapa BR2,6, Sharma Neeta Raj3,*, Menon Jagadeesh4, Bhatia Anmol5 1PhD Scholar in School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab (India) 2Former Professor & Head Department of Gastroenterology & Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh (India) 3Professor & Head, School of Bioengineering & Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab (India) 4Senior Resident & Assistant Professor in Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh (India) 5Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh (India) 6Presently, Professor of Gastroenterology, MM Medical Institute of Medical Sciences & Research (MMMISR), Mullana, Ambala (Haryana) *Correspondence author: Neeta Raj Sharma Professor & Head, School of Bioengineering & Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab (India)
Online published on 9 January, 2019. Abstract Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been reported recently as the most frequent liver disease among obese children and adolescents in industrialized countries. Objective Nutritional status of obese children with and without NAFLD. Methodology We studied 160 obese children of 5-18years age. Their anthropometric, biochemical measurements and ultrasonography were carried out to identify NAFLD in them. Z-score of body mass index (Z-BMI), mid arm circumference (MAC), waist circumference (WC) and triceps skinfold thickness (TSF) were done. Serum alanine aminotranferase (ALT), aspartate aminotranferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl-transferase (GGT) low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), triglyceride (TG), cholesterol, FBG(fasting blood glucose), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (HSCRP) and uric acid were measured. Their eating habits and dietary intake were recorded. Results These patients were divided in to two groups: group1: without NAFLD (n= 54) and group 2: with NAFLD (n=106). NAFLD was detected in 66.2% of obese children. Median Z-BMI, MAC, TSF, WC and ALT, AST, GGT, TG, FBG, HSCRP, uric acid were significantly higher in NAFLD group as compared to without NAFLD(p<0.05). HDL-c was significantly lower in NAFLD group (p<0.001). Daily consumption of soft drinks (60.4%) and fried chips (58.5%) were more in NAFLD group than without NAFLD group. Conclusion Z-BMI, MAC, TSF, WC and ALT, AST, GGT, TG, FBG, HSCRP and uric acid were significantly higher in NAFLD and HDL-c was lower but most significant associated risk factors with NAFLD were TG and Z-BMI. Calorie intake was more in obese children but excess in NAFLD group. Early lifestyle interventional approach for the treatment of NAFLD can prevent nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis. Top Keywords NAFLD, risk factors, obesity, children, adolescents, lifestyle. Top |