NAFLD in university students with obesity

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K17013
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 53010:Gastroenterology-related
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Saito Tomoko 千葉大学, 総合安全衛生管理機構, 助教 (80747436)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 糞便細菌叢 / NAFLD / 肥満 / 腸内細菌叢 / 耐糖能 / 脂質代謝 / 脂肪肝 / 体組成

Outline of Final Research Achievements

With the recent increase in obesity among young people, the increase in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in young people has become a problem. In this study, we examined the characteristics of the intestinal microbiota among　young adults who had not visited a medical institution. In this study, 87 young adults (52 males and 35 females) who agreed to participate in the study were analyzed. Of these, 35 (38%) had FL and 28 (32%) were Ob. When divided into four groups according to FL and Ob, only the group with FL and Ob (FL/Ob) was found to have mild liver damage, and showed changes in glucose tolerance and lipid metabolism compared to healthy subjects without either Ob or FL. In comparison to gut microbial composition in healthy subjects and FL/Ob group, such bacteria as negatively correlated with BMI and body fat mass, were found as characteristic in the healthy subjects. Moreover, those positively correlated with lipid abnormalities, were found in the Ob/FL group.

Free Research Field

大学保健管理

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、若年であっても既に肝機能障害を伴うNAFLDの症例がおり、同年代の健常者に比べ生活習慣病に関連する検査所見の変化を伴っていることが判明した。また、特徴的な腸内細菌構成を認めていることが判明し、菌叢構成の評価がNAFLDの病前状態におけるリスク評価ツールや治療標的となる可能性があると考えられた。さらに、この結果は研究代表者らが大学保健管理業務に携わるにあたり、若年のうちから肥満や脂肪肝にならない習慣をつけるようより積極的に指導していく根拠となりうる結果であった。