Galactose intake is related to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
ISSN: 0034-6659
Article publication date: 29 October 2018
Issue publication date: 9 May 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the association between galactose intake and risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 196 newly diagnosed patients with NAFLD and 803 controls were recruited from a referral hepatology clinic. Dietary intakes were assessed using a validated and reliable food frequency questionnaire. Dietary intakes of galactose were compared between cases and controls.
Findings
Median (interquartile range) of dietary galactose intake was 2.24 (1.36-3.53) g/day for all subjects. In age and sex adjusted-model, subjects in the highest tertile of galactose intake had more than three times higher risk of NAFLD compared with those in the lowest tertile (odds ratio [OR]: 3.05; 95 per cent confidence interval [CI]: 2.02-4.54), (p-value < 0.001). Additionally controlling for body mass index (BMI), physical activity, energy intake and dietary lactose intake, the direct association between galactose intake and NAFLD remained significant (OR: 2.77; 95 per cent CI: 1.55-4.95), (p-value < 0.001).
Originality/value
This study was the first one to assess the association between galactose intake and risk of NAFLD.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study is related to the project number 1396/50144 from Student Research Committee, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBMU), Tehran, Iran. The authors also appreciate the Student Research Committee and Research and Technology Chancellor in Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science for their financial support of this study.
Disclosure statement: None of the authors had any personal or financial conflicts of interest.
Citation
Emamat, H., Farhadnejad, H., Poustchi, H. and Hekmatdoost, A. (2019), "Galactose intake is related to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 49 No. 3, pp. 359-367. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-06-2018-0174
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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