Mediational role of metabolic syndrome between physical activity, sedentary behavior and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a cross-sectional study

作者：Zhaoyu Ren, Hongxuan Fan, Yaya Xue, Xinyu Yang, Xuchang Liu, Jing Luo, Jianqi Zhao, Leigang Wang, Yao Zhang, Bin Liang · 发表于：BMC Public Health · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1186/s12889-025-22925-8 · 被引用次数：5 · 研究领域：Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment、Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and Lipoproteins、Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), metabolic syndrome (MetS), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have been linked in previous studies. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether MetS has a mediating influence on the relationships among physical activity, sedentary behavior, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This study aims to assess the connections between physical activity, sedentary behavior, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and to explore the extent to which metabolic syndrome acts as a mediator in this association. METHODS: A total of 3351 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2017 to 2018 were included in our study. Physical activity and sedentary behavior were categorized as work activity (WA), recreational activity (RA), walking/bicycling (for commuting) and sedentary behavior to investigate the association with metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Besides, mediation analysis was utilized to determine the extent to which metabolic syndrome mediates the relationships among inadequate physical activity, prolonged sedentary behavior, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. RESULTS: Regression analysis revealed that a reduced risk of developing NAFLD was associated with sufficient recreational activity (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.44-0.83, P = 0.004), while an increased risk of MetS was observed in sedentary behavior group (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.00-1.64, P < 0.05). In addition, str...