Association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with the different types of dietary carbohydrates: a cross-sectional study

Background Many factors like sedentary lifestyle, metabolic syndrome, and obesity are involved in the increased prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Dietary consumption of carbohydrates may has a role in the risk of NAFLD. This study aimed to investigate the association of NAFLD with the different types of dietary carbohydrates. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out on 4200 participants including 660 patients with NAFLD and 3540 helathy individuals without NAFLD ages 35 to 70 in sabzevar, Iran. Data on socio-deomgraphic status, anthropomrtric measurments, blood tests, and dietary intake of different types of dietary carbohydrates was collected. Results The patients with NAFLD had a significantly higher dietary intake of glucose (29.38 ± 18.29 vs. 27.42 ± 15.96 g/d, P = 0.01) and fructose (33.99 ± 20.19 vs. 31.95 ± 18.34 g/d, P = 0.01) compared to the healthy people. A positive association was observed between NAFLD with the total intake of carbohydrates after adjustment for age, sex, and BMI (OR: 1.001, CI 95%: 1-1.002, P = 0.04) The association remained significant after further adjustments for for education level, marital status, physical activity, smoking, and drinking alcohol (Model 2) and after additional adjustments for calorie intake (Model 3). Conclusions This study showed a positive association between total dietary carbohydrate and NAFLD. In particular, the amount of dietary of carbohydrates (regardless of the type of carbohydrate) may worsen NAFLD. Further longitudinal studies are warranted.