# The relationship between changes in alcohol consumption and hepatic steatosis among alcohol consumers: a large-scale population-based Biobank study

## TL;DR

This study shows that increasing alcohol consumption raises the risk of fatty liver disease, while reducing alcohol intake lowers the risk.

## Contribution

The study reveals how changes in alcohol consumption levels over time are linked to the development of hepatic steatosis in a large population.

## Key findings

- Mild drinkers who increased to moderate or heavy drinking had higher odds of hepatic steatosis.
- Heavy drinkers who reduced alcohol intake had significantly lower odds of hepatic steatosis.
- Certain groups like males and those under 65 are more susceptible to fatty liver with increased drinking.

## Abstract

The relationship between changes in alcohol consumption and hepatic steatosis among alcohol consumers remains poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the association between changes in alcohol consumption and hepatic steatosis in a large population-based cohort of alcohol consumers.

This study included 33,427 participants with reported alcohol consumption, categorized as mild, moderate, or heavy at baseline and imaging visits. Hepatic steatosis was assessed via magnetic resonance (MR) imaging during the imaging visit.

9,131 (27.3%) participants were diagnosed with hepatic steatosis at imaging visit. After adjusting for confounders, mild drinkers who progressed to moderate (aOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.10–1.44) or heavy drinking (aOR 1.70, 95% CI 1.12–2.57) had elevated odds of hepatic steatosis compared to stable mild drinkers. Moderate drinkers who maintained moderate drinking (aOR 1.36, 95% CI 1.21–1.53) or progressed to heavy drinking (aOR 2.27, 95% CI 1.84–2.79) also showed increased risk compared to those who transitioned to mild drinking. Conversely, heavy drinkers who transitioned to moderate (aOR 0.58, 95% CI 0.47–0.72) or mild drinking (aOR 0.34, 95% CI 0.25–0.45) had significantly lower odds compared to stable heavy drinkers. Stratified analyses revealed that males, individuals under 65 years, those with higher BMI, and hypertensive patients were more susceptible to hepatic steatosis with increased alcohol consumption.

Increasing alcohol intake raises the odds of hepatic steatosis, while reducing intake lowers the odds. Public health strategies should focus on decreasing alcohol consumption to alleviate the burden of hepatic steatosis.