Differences in weight, BMI and waist circumference reduction between clinically healthy overweight people with and without signs of fatty liver

Background: Motivatingclinically healthy overweight and obese individuals to bring lifestylebehavioural changes prior to an apparent disease is still a challenge.  There is evidence that fatty liver is relatedto cardiovascular diseases risks, however, it is not obvious that signs of fattyliver on a computed tomography (CT) scan, could be an argument to lose weightin behavioural consultations.

 Research question: Do people withsigns of fatty liver reduce weight, body mass index and waist circumferencemore effectively than those with no signs of fatty liver.

 Methods: A prospective observational studyin Riga, Latvia included 73 clinically healthy individuals having body massindex (BMI) above 25 m²/kg and below 40 m²/kg and in agegroup 30-45 that visited primary care physician. Individuals underwent CT scanfor signs of hepatic steatosis, as well as biochemical testing, and wereadvised to decrease weight and waist circumference by at least 5 % within ayear. We estimated weight and waist circumference differences between twogroups: those with signs of steatosis and without signs of steatosis.  A paired t test was employed to compare thewithin subject change and an independent t test to compare the means of the twogroups.

 Results: Study included 73 clinicallyhealthy individuals (age 37,2±4,4, BMI 31,6±3,7, including  25 men, age 37,1±4,3, BMI 31,7±3,3 and 48women, age 37,3±4,5, BMI 31,5±4,1) divided in two groups: those with signs ofsteatosis (age 36,2±4,5, weight 99,5±15,1 kg, BMI 32,6±4,3, waist 104,0±11,9cm) and without signs of steatosis (age 37,8±4,3, weight 88,5±11,3 kg, BMI31,1±3,6, waist 94,9±9,2 cm). We did not observe statistically significant between groupdifferences in weight or BMI reductions. A statistically significant pairedmean difference was observed in waist circumference reduction in individualswith steatosis signs (3,6 cm, 95% CI .69, 3.98; p=0,001) and without steatosis(2,3 cm, 95% CI 1.57, 5.75; p=0,006).

 Conclusions: For individualsresiding in Riga, Latvia presence of fatty liver signs is not a sufficientmotivation to reduce weight or waist circumference by at least 5% within a year,however, further researchis required with a larger sample size to examine the findings in this study  especially regarding waistcircumference reduction in both observed groups within a year.