Independent and Synergistic Associations of Aerobic Physical Activity and Resistance Exercise with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Background/Aims: This study aimed to examine the independent and synergistic association of aerobic physical activity and resistance exercise with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) using a nationwide representative database.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using data from the Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey between 2007 and 2010. Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the independent and synergistic (additive interaction) associations of aerobic physical activity and resistance exercise with NAFLD after adjusting for multiple covariates.Results: The prevalence of NAFLD was 26.2% for men and 17.6% for women. In the fully adjusted multiple logistic regression model to examine the independent association of aerobic physical activity or resistance exercise with NAFLD, the odds ratios for NAFLD were significantly decreased in both men (p=0.03) and women (p<0.01) who had highly active aerobic physical activity. Regarding the frequency of resistance exercise, the odds ratio for NAFLD was decreased in men who did resistance exercise >= 5 days per week (p=0.04), but not in women (p=0.19). However, when investigating the synergistic associations of aerobic physical activity and resistance exercise, the odds ratios for NAFLD significantly decreased when the frequency of both exercises increased together in both men (p for interaction <0.01) and women (p for interaction<0.01).Conclusions: Combining aerobic physical activity and resistance exercise had a synergistic preventive association for NAFLD in Korean men and women. (Gut Liver, Published online March 17, 2023)

Automated summary

This study examined the independent and synergistic associations of aerobic physical activity and resistance exercise with NAFLD. The results showed that both highly active aerobic physical activity and resistance exercise were significantly associated with a decreased risk of NAFLD. Furthermore, combining both exercises had a synergistic preventive effect on NAFLD.