Sex-Specific Association between Sodium Intake Estimated by 24-Hour Urinary Sodium Excretion and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: The Community-Based Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Evidence for the association between high sodium intake and the onset of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is insufficient. This study examined the sex-specific association between sodium intake and the risk of NAFLD. This study included 2582 adults (aged 40–69 years; 1011 males and 1571 females). The total sodium excreted over 24 h was estimated from spot urine specimens using Tanaka’s equation. Based on these estimates, participants were categorized into three groups according to their 24-h urinary sodium excretion levels: lowest (T1), middle (T2), and highest (T3). In addition, the participants were divided into non-NAFLD (≤36) and NAFLD (>36) groups based on the hepatic steatosis index. During the follow-up period (14 years), NAFLD was observed in 551 participants. The estimated 24-h urinary sodium excretion levels were positively associated with the incidence of NAFLD in all subjects. Upon sex stratification, females in the T2 and T3 groups exhibited adjusted hazard ratios of 1.35 and 1.51, respectively, compared with the T1 group. However, a significant relationship was not observed in males. High intake of sodium, especially among females, may be an important factor contributing to the development of NAFLD. Individuals with high sodium intake should be appropriately counselled and monitored for the risk of NAFLD.