The weight-adjusted-waist index is positively associated with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in US adults: A cross-sectional NHANES Study.

ObjectivesMetabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) poses a major global health burden due to risks of cirrhosis and liver cancer; however, the relationship between MAFLD and weight-adjusted-waist index (WWI) remains unclear. Our study aims to clarify this relationship and identify potential clinical predictors for MAFLD.MethodsA population-based cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2010 and 2015-2018. Multivariable logistic regression and Restricted Cubic Splines (RCS) was employed to examine the nonlinear association between WWI and MAFLD. Following this, a subgroup analysis was performed to detect any variations and ensure the robustness of the findings.ResultsThe study included 17,930 participants aged ≥ 18 years, with a mean age of 45.54 years and 48.43% males. The sample was comprised of 44.36% Non-Hispanic White, 20.69% Mexican American, 19.55% Non-Hispanic Black, 8.00% Other Hispanic, and 7.41% Other/Multi-Racial individuals. Among them, 5850 individuals were diagnosed with MAFLD. The study found a statistically significant association between WWI and MAFLD (odds ratio (OR) = 4.35, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 4.08-4.63), which remained significant even after adjusting for all relevant factors (OR = 2.73, 95% CI: 2.48-3.01). The RCS analysis revealed a significant nonlinear relationship between WWI and MAFLD (p < 0.05). Subgroup analysis indicated that WWI remained positively correlated with MAFLD, but no significant interaction was observed (p-interaction > 0.05)ConclusionsWWI is a significant predictor of MAFLD, suggesting its potential as a simple, non-invasive screening tool for the occurrence of MAFLD.