Television viewing and fatty liver in early midlife. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

Figures & data

Figure 1. Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) concentration change in the TV time groups during 10 years of follow-up. (A) sexes combined. (B) women separately. (C) men separately. Analyses adjusted for age and sex, baseline GGT, physical activity, occupational physical strain, energy intake, diet composition, alcohol use, sleep duration, socioeconomic status, and smoking. Adjustment with BMI diluted the association to borderline significant (P = 0.053, data not shown). L = FLI different between the constantly high and constantly low TV time group; M = FLI different between the constantly high and constantly moderate TV time group; D = FLI different between the constantly high and decreased TV time group.

Figure 2. Fatty Liver Index (FLI) change in the TV time groups during 10 years of follow-up. (A) sexes combined. (B) women separately. (C) men separately. Analyses adjusted for age and sex, baseline FLI, physical activity, occupational physical strain, energy intake, diet composition, alcohol use, sleep duration, socioeconomic status, and smoking. BMI is included in the FLI as per definition. L = FLI different between the constantly high and constantly low TV time group; M = FLI different between the constantly high and constantly moderate TV time group; I = FLI different between the constantly high and increased TV time group; D = FLI different between the constantly high and decreased TV time group.

Table I. Mean increase in GGT and FLI during the 10-year follow-up in all TV time groups and by sex. Comparison of the magnitude of change between the constantly high and constantly low TV time groups is presented separately. Analyses adjusted for age and sex, baseline FLI, physical activity, occupational physical strain, energy intake, diet composition, alcohol use, sleep duration, socioeconomic status, and smoking. BMI is included in the FLI as per definition.

	Low (SD)	Moderate (SD)	High (SD)	Increased (SD)	Decreased (SD)	Difference (%), high versus low
GGT (U/L)
All	6.2 (18.5)	5.7 (26.8)	23.2 (62.7)	12.6 (34.7)	8.6 (29.1)	+ 374^a
Women	5.7 (16.7)	5.6 (33.3)	18.0 (50.0)	5.2 (14.1)	8.5 (32.7)	+ 316^a
Men	6.8 (20.8)	5.9 (13.9)	27.0 (71.0)	19.9 (46.0)	8.7 (25.1)	+ 397^a
FLI (range 0–7)
All	1.3 (4.9)	1.3 (5.7)	5.0 (12.6)	3.3 (9.0)	2.2 (8.6)	+ 385^a
Women	1.1 (4.7)	1.1 (6.0)	5.4 (13.9)	2.1 (7.6)	2.1 (8.4)	+ 491^a
Men	1.7 (5.1)	1.6 (5.2)	4.6 (11.7)	4.5 (10.1)	2.3 (8.8)	+ 271^a

Low = TV viewing time constantly ≤ 1 h/day between 2001 and 2011. Moderate = TV viewing time constantly 1–3 h/day between 2001 and 2011. High = TV viewing time constantly ≥ 3 h/day between 2001 and 2011. Increased = TV time increased with ≥ 1 h between 2001 and 2011. Decreased = TV time decreased with ≥ 1 h between 2001 and 2011.

^aDifference in increase between constantly high (≥ 3 h/day) and constantly low (≤ 1 h/day) TV time groups (P < 0.0001 in all).

FLI = Fatty Liver Index; GGT = serum gamma-glutamyltransferase.

Table II. Risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for ultrasonographical diagnosis of fatty liver in all TV time groups. Generalized linear modelling adjusted for age and sex, leisure-time and occupational physical activity, energy intake, diet composition, alcohol use, sleep duration, socioeconomic status, and smoking, with and without BMI.

TV group	All (n = 1084)		Women (n = 586)		Men (n = 498)
	RR	95% CI	RR	95% CI	RR	95% CI
Without BMI
Low TV time	1.00		1.00		1.00
Moderate TV time	1.17	0.65–2.11	1.15	0.37–3.53	1.13	0.56–2.26
High TV time	2.34	1.22–4.48	2.15	0.56–8.23	2.44	1.16–5.16
Increased TV time	1.41	0.80–2.48	1.31	0.43–4.01	1.33	0.68–2.59
Decreased TV time	1.38	0.76–2.51	1.74	0.53–3.85	1.19	0.59–2.41
With BMI
Low TV time	1.00		1.00		1.00
Moderate TV time	1.03	0.57–1.87	0.75	0.24–2.35	1.07	0.53–2.15
High TV time	1.75	0.91–3.38	0.82	0.20–3.33	2.19	1.03–4.66
Increased TV time	1.11	0.62–1.96	0.80	0.24–2.61	1.12	0.57–2.18
Decreased TV time	1.12	0.61–2.04	1.40	0.44–4.44	1.01	0.50–2.05

Low TV time = TV viewing time constantly ≤ 1 h/day between 2001 and 2011. Moderate TV time = TV viewing time constantly 1–3 h/day between 2001 and 2011. High TV time = TV viewing time constantly ≥ 3 h/day between 2001 and 2011. Increased TV time = TV time increased with ≥ 1 h between 2001 and 2011. Decreased TV time = TV time decreased with ≥ 1 h between 2001 and 2011.