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Is nonalcoholic fatty liver disease related to the development of inflammatory bowel disease?
Published online: January 30, 2025


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Association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and incidence of inflammatory bowel disease: a nationwide population‑based cohort study
Intest Res. 2024;23(1):3-5

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major cause of liver disease worldwide, accompanied by an inflammatory process, and is known to be associated with many gastrointestinal diseases. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), comprising ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), has shown increasing incidence worldwide, particularly in regions undergoing rapid industrialization and urbanization. Are NAFLD and IBD, which are related to these inflammatory diseases, really related? What are the risk factors that increase the risk of developing IBD in patients with NAFLD?
In the present study, a large-scale study was conducted in Taiwan with 227,015 patients from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database on the relationship between NAFLD and IBD. The incidence of IBD was investigated by dividing patients into NAFLD and control groups, and risk factors were investigated by age, urbanization level, season of occurrence, and concomitant diseases.

  1. IBD Risk in NAFLD Patients: Patients with NAFLD exhibited a 2.245-fold increased risk of developing IBD compared to controls (P<0.001). Specific risks for UC and CD were 2.260-fold and 2.231-fold higher, respectively.
  2. Comorbidities and Risk Factors: Key comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, obesity, and obstructive sleep apnea were significantly associated with IBD risk. Higher urbanization levels and winter season were additional risk factors.
  3. NAFLD Severity and IBD: NAFLD patients with liver cirrhosis showed a higher risk of IBD compared to those without cirrhosis (2.349 vs. 2.191).
  4. Age and Cumulative Risk: Patients aged 50–59 years had the highest IBD risk, with cumulative risk increasing annually during the follow-up period.

Read more about Association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and incidence of inflammatory bowel disease: a nationwide population‑based cohort study.

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