Relationships between hyperleptinemia, hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia and elevations in markers of liver disease for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in Hispanic children

The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine the prevalence of being at risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Hispanic children (obese children and their non obese siblings), (2) to characterize those at risk children, (3) to determine the relationships between markers of NAFLD aspartate aminotranferase (AST), alanine aminotranferase, (ALT) and hyperleptinemia, hyperinuslinemia, hypertriglyceridemia. These objectives were achieved by determining physiological and biochemical measurements of 500 children (241 obese children and 259 non obese siblings; 242 boys, 258 girls). The prevalence of being at risk of NAFLD, by criterion of elevated ALT levels, was 12--16% and 26--28% in non obese and obese children, respectively. Fasting serum levels of insulin, leptin, triglycerides, and low levels of physical activity, low levels of fat oxidation were positively correlated with ALT.