Trends in Prevalence of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in US Adults with Prediabetes

Abstract

In this population-based study, we found that between 44 and 62% of US adults with prediabetes had concurrent suspected NAFLD, equivalent to 27–38 million patients, and similar to the numbers of prediabetic patients with hypertension or dyslipidemia. Our study appears to be the first to establish a populationbased estimate of suspected NAFLD prevalence trends in prediabetic US adults. In Germany, the prevalence of NAFLD measured by localized proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was 45–78%, while in Korea, it was 60% based on ultrasound. The prevalence of prediabetes in the USA has been increasing for two decades, reaching 34% in 2015. Although intensive lifestyle modification and metformin have been shown to reduce progression to diabetes by 27% and 18%, respectively, it is not known whether these interventions can affect liver function and prevent NAFLD progression. It is also not known to what extent these interventions are being used in clinical practice. Our findings that at least 27 million US adults have Published online July 19, 2019