Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40279651›Full record

ArticleMedicine and science in sports and exercise2025

Association of Daily Steps with Incident Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Evidence from the UK Biobank Cohort.

Evelynne S Fulda, Laura Portas, Charlie Harper, David Preiss, Derrick Bennett, Aiden Doherty

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Evelynne S FuldaBig Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UNITED KINGDOM.ORCID 0000-0001-5903-131
Laura PortasBig Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UNITED KINGDOM.
Charlie HarperBig Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UNITED KINGDOM.
David PreissClinical Trial Service Unit & Epidemiological Studies Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UNITED KINGDOM.
Derrick BennettClinical Trial Service Unit & Epidemiological Studies Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UNITED KINGDOM.
Aiden DohertyBig Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UNITED KINGDOM.ORCID 0000-0003-1840-0451

Funding

British Heart Foundation RE/18/3/34214Wellcome Trust 223100
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeLow physical activity has been shown to be associated with a higher risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the strength and shape of this association are currently uncertain due to a reliance on self-reported physical activity measures. This report aims to investigate the relationship of median daily step count with NAFLD using accelerometer-derived step count from a large prospective cohort study.

methodsThe wrist-worn accelerometer substudy of the UK Biobank ( N = ~100,000) was used to characterize median daily step count over a 7-d period. NAFLD cases were ascertained via record linkage with hospital inpatient data and death registers or by using a measure of liver fat from imaging. Cox proportional hazards models were employed to assess the association between step count and NAFLD, adjusting for age, sociodemographic, and lifestyle factors. Mediation analyses were conducted.

resultsAmong 91,031 participants (709,440 person-years of follow-up), there were 762 incident NAFLD cases. Higher step count was log-linearly and inversely associated with risk of NAFLD. A 1000-step increase (representing 10 min of walking) was associated with a 12% (95% confidence interval, 10%-14%) lower hazard of NAFLD. When using imaging to identify NAFLD, a 1000-step increase was associated with a 6% (95% confidence interval, 6%-7%) lower risk. There was evidence for mediation by adiposity, accounting for 39% of the observed association.

conclusionsDaily step count, a modifiable risk factor, is log-linearly and inversely associated with NAFLD. This association was only partially explained by adiposity. These findings from a large cohort study may have important implications for strategies to lower NAFLD risk.

Indexed as

Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver DiseaseWalkingAccelerometryAdultAgedBiological Specimen BanksFemaleHumansIncidenceMaleMiddle AgedProportional Hazards ModelsProspective StudiesRisk FactorsUK BiobankUnited KingdomACCELEROMETRYEXERCISEPROSPECTIVE STUDIESWALKING

Identifiers

PMID40279651
PMCPMC7617666

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