All issues > Volume 44(6); 2001

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 2001;44(6):669-676. Published online June 15, 2001.

Risk Factors for Fatty Liver in Obese Children

Ki Won KW Park¹, Jong Eun JE Lee¹, Kyung Ha KH Ryu¹, Kyung Hyo KH Kim¹, Young Mi YM Hong¹, Gyung Hee GH Kim¹, Keun K Lee¹, Jeong Hyun JH Yoo²

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea
²Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Purpose
: The incidence of obese patients has increased recently in Korea. Obesity is associated with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, and fatty liver. Since recent investigators have revealed that not only fat accumulation but also fibrosis and nonspecific hepatitis can be found in the livers of obese children, fatty liver is currently considered as an important complication. The purpose of this study is to investigate the risk factors in obese children as a predictor of fatty liver.
Methods
: The objects were 146 obese children, ranging from 7 to 16 years of age, who visit obesity clinics of Ewha Womans University Hospital. They were divided into two groups, with fatty liver(n=21) and without fatty liver(n=125), as diagnosed by ultrasonography. Body Mass Index(BMI) and blood pressure were measured. Bioelectrical impedance was analyzed to estimate body composition and fat mass. Serum levels of alanine transaminase(AST), aspartate transaminase(ALT), total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and insulin were evaluated.
Results
: BMI, blood pressure and abdominal fat percentages were significantly higher in the children with fatty livers. Body composition of intracellular fluid, extracellular fluid, protein, and minerals were also significantly elevated in the children with fatty livers. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, serum insulin and ALT were significantly higher in the children with fatty livers.
Conclusion
: This study confirmed the close relationship between these predictors and fatty liver. Abdominal sonography is helpful to recognize the presence of liver involvement in obese children with hyperlipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, increased ALT levels, and hypertension.

Keywords :Obesity, Fatty liver, Hyperlipidemia, Hyperinsulinemia, Hypertension