RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Associations of chronic diarrhoea with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and obesity-related disorders among US adults
JF BMJ Open Gastroenterology
JO BMJ Open Gastro
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP e000322
DO 10.1136/bmjgast-2019-000322
VO 6
IS 1
A1 Andrea Shin
A1 Huiping Xu
A1 Thomas F Imperiale
YR 2019
UL http://bmjopengastro.bmj.com//content/6/1/e000322.abstract
AB Mechanisms explaining observed associations between diarrhoea and obesity or increased body mass index (BMI) are unclear.Objective To assess associations of bowel patterns with BMI, metabolic syndrome (MS), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and other obesity-related disorders.Design We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data from adults who completed bowel health questions for the 2005 to 2010 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Relationships were examined using multinomial logistic regression. Confounding effects of demographics, smoking, alcohol and BMI were examined by sequential modelling.Results Among 13 413 adults, weighted prevalence rates of constipation and diarrhoea were 8.9% and 6.6%, respectively. Mean BMI was associated with bowel patterns (p<0.001), and was higher with diarrhoea (30.3 kg/m2) versus normal bowel patterns (28.6 kg/m2) and with diarrhoea versus constipation (27.8 kg/m2). NAFLD was more prevalent (ORs, 95% CI) in diarrhoea versus normal bowel patterns (OR=1.34, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.78) or constipation (OR=1.45, 95% CI 1.03, 2.03) in adjusted analyses. The higher prevalence of MS in diarrhoea versus constipation (OR=1.27, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.67) was not independent of BMI.Conclusions These findings suggest an association between diarrhoea and NAFLD that is independent of BMI.