Physical activity is inversely associated with hepatic fibro-inflammation: A population-based cohort study using UK Biobank data

Sherry, Aron P.; Willis, Scott A.; Yates, Thomas; Johnson, William; Razieh, Cameron; Sargeant, Jack A.; Malaikah, Sundus; Stensel, David J.; Aithal, Guruprasad P.; King, James A.

Abstract

Background & Aims
Physical activity (PA) is recommended in the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) given its beneficial effects on liver fat and cardiometabolic risk. Using data from the UK Biobank population-cohort, this study examined associations between habitual PA and hepatic fibro-inflammation.
Methods
A total of 840 men and women aged 55-70 years were included in this cross-sectional study. Hepatic fibro-inflammation (iron-corrected T1 [cT1]) and liver fat were measured using MRI, whilst body fat was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. PA was measured using accelerometry. Generalised linear models examined associations between PA (light [LPA], moderate [MPA], vigorous [VPA], moderate-to-vigorous [MVPA] and mean acceleration) and hepatic cT1. Models were fitted for the whole sample and separately for upper and lower median groups for body and liver fat. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle variables.
Results
In the full sample, LPA (-0.08 ms [-0.12 to -0.03]), MPA, (-0.13 ms [-0.21 to -0.05]), VPA (-1.16 ms [-1.81 to -0.51]), MVPA (-0.14 ms [-0.21 to -0.06]) and mean acceleration (-0.67 ms [-1.05 to-0.28]) were inversely associated with hepatic cT1. With the sample split by median liver or body fat, only VPA was inversely associated with hepatic cT1 in the upper median groups for body (-2.68 ms [-4.24 to -1.13]) and liver fat (-2.33 [-3.73 to -0.93]). PA was unrelated to hepatic cT1 in the lower median groups.
Conclusions
Within a population-based cohort, device-measured PA is inversely associated with hepatic fibro-inflammation. This relationship is strongest with VPA and is greater in people with higher levels of body and liver fat.
Lay summary
This study has shown that people who regularly perform greater amounts of physical activity have a reduced level of inflammation and fibrosis in their liver. This beneficial relationship is particularly strong when more intense physical activity is undertaken (i.e., vigorous-intensity), and is most visible in individuals with higher levels of liver fat and body fat.

Citation

Sherry, A. P., Willis, S. A., Yates, T., Johnson, W., Razieh, C., Sargeant, J. A., Malaikah, S., Stensel, D. J., Aithal, G. P., & King, J. A. (2023). Physical activity is inversely associated with hepatic fibro-inflammation: A population-based cohort study using UK Biobank data. JHEP Reports, 5(1), Article 100622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhepr.2022.100622

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 10, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Nov 1, 2022
• Publication Date: 2023-01
• Deposit Date: Jun 30, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 30, 2023
• Journal: JHEP Reports
• Electronic ISSN: 2589-5559
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 1
• Article Number: 100622
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhepr.2022.100622
• Keywords: Exercise; Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; Obesity; Liver fat
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/13181864
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Physical activity is inversely associated with hepatic fibro-inflammation: A population-based cohort study using UK Biobank data; Journal Title: JHEP Reports; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhepr.2022.100622; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL).