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Association between Blood Mercury Levels and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Non-Obese Populations: The Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) 2012–2014

Author

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  • Yun-Jung Yang

    (Institute of Biomedical Science, Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary’s Hospital, Incheon 22711, Korea)

  • Eun-Jung Yang

    (Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea)

  • Kyongjin Park

    (College of Medicine, Catholic Kwandong University, Gangneung-si 25601, Korea)

  • Subin Oh

    (College of Medicine, Catholic Kwandong University, Gangneung-si 25601, Korea)

  • Taehyen Kim

    (College of Medicine, Catholic Kwandong University, Gangneung-si 25601, Korea)

  • Yeon-Pyo Hong

    (Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea)

Abstract

Mercury is widely distributed in the environment, and a plausible association between mercury exposure and hepatic damage has been reported. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which comprises a spectrum of liver diseases, has recently been recognized in non-obese subjects. However, there have been no studies on the relationship between internal mercury levels and NAFLD in non-obese individuals. Therefore, we investigated the association between blood mercury levels and NAFLD in non-obese subjects. Cross-sectional data ( n = 5919) were obtained from the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2012–2014). NAFLD was defined using the hepatic steatosis index (HSI). Blood mercury levels were log-transformed and divided into quartiles based on a weighted sample distribution. The association between blood mercury levels and NAFLD was analyzed using a multivariate logistic analysis after body mass index stratification. The geometric mean of blood mercury in the overweight group was significantly higher than that of the non-obese group ( p < 0.001). The weighted frequencies of patients with NAFLD based on the HSI were 3.0–7.2% for the non-obese subjects and 52.3–63.2% for the overweight subjects. In the multivariate analysis, blood mercury levels were positively associated with NAFLD for both the overweight and non-obese groups (all p for trend < 0.001). Increased blood mercury levels are closely associated with NAFLD. In particular, mercury could be a risk factor for NAFLD in the non-obese population.

Suggested Citation

  • Yun-Jung Yang & Eun-Jung Yang & Kyongjin Park & Subin Oh & Taehyen Kim & Yeon-Pyo Hong, 2021. "Association between Blood Mercury Levels and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Non-Obese Populations: The Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) 2012–2014," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-11, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:12:p:6412-:d:574395
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Seong-Ah Kim & YoungMin Kwon & Suejin Kim & Hyojee Joung, 2016. "Assessment of Dietary Mercury Intake and Blood Mercury Levels in the Korean Population: Results from the Korean National Environmental Health Survey 2012–2014," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-17, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jin-Wook Chung & Dilaram Acharya & Jitendra Kumar Singh & Joon Sakong, 2023. "Association of Blood Mercury Level with Liver Enzymes in Korean Adults: An Analysis of 2015–2017 Korean National Environmental Health Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-13, February.

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