Background: Obesity and type 2 diabetes are well-known risk factorsof the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic syndrome. An association of NAFLD and metabolic syndrome has been suggested. The aims of this study were to evaluate the metabolic significance of NAFLD in nonobese, nondiabetic adutlts and to assess the independent factors associated with NAFLD.
Method: 132 men and 76 women nonobese (body mass index (BMI) < 23), nondiabetic sucjects with NAFLD were studied. The control group consisted of 132 healthy men and 76 women who were matched to the NAFLD group in terms of age, sex and BMI. All the subjects had negative serologic findings for hepatitis B and C viruses and had an alcohol intake less than 40 g/day in men and 20 g/day in women. A standard interview, anthropometrics, a biochemical study, and abdominal ultrasonography were conducted.
Results: Triglyceride, ALT, insulin and HOMA-IR were higher in subjectswith NAFLD than control group in both sexes, but waist circumference, total cholesterol, fasting blood sugar and AST were significantly higher only in men group. HDL-cholesterol (OR, 95% CI; 1.86, 1.26~2.75), triglyceride (3.24, 2.13~4.94), fasting blood sugar (2.44, 1.36~4.27), waist circumference (1.71, 1.09~2.67), HOMA-IR (4.89, 2.94~8.13), and metabolic syndrome (3.58, 2.12~6.04) were related to development of NAFLD by univariate logistic regression analysis. With multiple logistic regression analysis, the odds ratios of having the NAFLD was (2.33, 1.48~3.66) for triglycerixde and (1.83, 1.18~2.83) for HOMA-IR.
Conclusions: NAFLD is closely associated with metabolic disorders, even in nonobese, nondiabetic subjects. NAFLD can be considered an early predictor of metabolic disorders.

Keywords: Insulin resistance, Metabolic syndrome, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease