In this study, liver fat was assessed by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the presence/absence of the metabolic syndrome (as per IDF clinical criteria) in a sample of 271 nondiabetic men (n=109) and women (n=162). Liver fat content was fourfold higher in subjects with the metabolic syndrome than in those without the metabolic syndrome, even after controlling for age, gender, and BMI. All metabolic syndrome criteria (waist circumference, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, glucose) were linked to liver fat content, with waist girth being the best correlate of liver fat content. Moreover, the liver fat content relationship was greater with intra-abdominal (visceral) fat than with subcutaneous fat. Liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase) were also correlates of liver fat content. These results provide evidence that excess liver fat is a feature of the metabolic syndrome.
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