Abstract: Objective To investigate the relationship between fatty liver and metabolic abnormalities in subjects with excessive alcohol intake.Methods Among the employees of the Bao-Steel Group (Shanghai, China), males with excessive alcohol intake were identified, and their medical records from check-ups were analyzed. The association between fatty liver and the prevalence of metabolic abnormalities was assessed among them.Results Two thousand seven hundred and ninety-two males with excessive alcohol intake were identified, and the prevalence of fatty liver was 17.0%. The average levels of body mass index (26.98 ±2.46 kg/m² vs. 23.70 ± 2.69 kg/m²), systolic blood pressure (129.87 ± 15.38 mmHg vs. 121.06±14.56 mmHg), diastolic blood pressure (88.69±9.77 mmHg vs. 82.28 ± 9.86 mmHg), serum triglycerides (2.46 ± 1.90 mmol/L vs. 1.52 ± 1.38 mmol/L), total cholesterol (5.51±0.96 mmol/L vs. 4.95 ± 0.91 mmol/L) and fasting glucose (6.05±1.22 mmol/L vs. 5.54 ± 0.97 mmol/L) were all significantly higher in the individuals with fatty liver than those without (all P<0.001). The prevalence of metabolic abnormalities including obesity (80.0% vs. 30.8%), hypertension (60.8% vs. 30.6%), hypertriglyceridemia (61.8% vs. 25.9%), hypercholesterolemia (42.2% vs. 19.4%) and diabetes mellitus (18.8% vs. 8.1%) were all higher in the individuals with fatty liver (all P<0.05). Even in non-obese individuals, fatty liver was still significantly associated with higher prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia (P<0.001), hypercholesterolemia (P=0.044) and diabetes mellitus (P=0.004).Conclusion In men with excessive alcohol intake, fatty liver is not merely a manifestation of alcoholic liver injury, but an indicator for a higher prevalence of metabolic abnormalities. Thus, in this population, those with fatty liver should be paid more attention to the identification and treatment of the related metabolic abnormalities.

Key words: Excessive alcohol intake, Fatty liver, Metabolic abnormality, Prevalence