Excess Weight More Harmful Than Alcohol in Middle-Aged Men

A new study reveals that excessive weight carries a greatly increased risk of cirrhosis of the liver in men, even higher than alcohol consumption.

Researchers at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital (Gothenburg, Sweden) examined the relation between overweight, hypertriglyceridemia, and development of liver cirrhosis by following 855 men aged 50 and above for up to 40 years; baseline data were collected in 1963 and 1967. None of the men had liver problems at the beginning of the study, but during the long follow-up period, almost 2% were diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. All of the men with this diagnosis were overweight at the beginning of the study, with an average initial body mass index (BMI) of 28. The average BMI for the men who were not diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver during the study was below 25.

The results of the study show that both elevated BMI and triglycerides were significant independent risk factors for the development of liver cirrhosis. However, the same link could not be statistically proven for alcohol. The researchers speculated that one explanation for this could be that some men with alcohol problems may have declined to take part in the study.

The study was published in the June 2011 issue of the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology.

"A liver that has been ill and weakened as a result of overweight can take less of a load. We can therefore speculate that cirrhosis of the liver will develop more quickly in people who drink too much alcohol if they are overweight," said lead author Jerzy Kaczynski, MD. "Given the increasing problem of overweight in Sweden, there is reason to fear that more people will develop cirrhosis of the liver."

Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic liver disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrosis, scar tissue, and regenerative nodules (lumps that occur as a result of a process in which damaged tissue is regenerated), leading to loss of liver function. Cirrhosis is most commonly caused by alcoholism, hepatitis B and C, and fatty liver disease, but has many other possible causes, some of which are idiopathic. Cirrhosis is generally irreversible, and treatment usually focuses on preventing progression and complications. In advanced stages of cirrhosis, the only option is a liver transplant.

Related Links:
Sahlgrenska University Hospital