Triglyceride-cholesterol-body weight index associated with the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Background: The triglyceride-cholesterol-body weight index (TCBI), a novel parameter integrating serum triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and body weight (BW), has not been comprehensively investigated in relation to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). This study aimed to examine the association between TCBI and MASLD. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the NAGALA project in Japan, including 14,242 participants. TCBI was calculated using the formula: TG (mg/dL) × TC (mg/dL) × BW (kg)/1,000. Participants were stratified into quartiles based on natural log-transformed TCBI (TCBI-LN). The association between TCBI and MASLD was assessed using multiple logistic regression, restricted cubic splines (RCS), subgroup analyses, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: Among the 14,242 participants, the mean age was 43.53 ± 8.89 years, and 48.03% were female. In the fully adjusted model, each 1-unit increase in TCBI-LN was associated with a 1.69-fold increased risk of MASLD (OR = 2.69, 95% CI: 2.00-3.64, Conclusion: Triglyceride-cholesterol-body weight index showed a significant linear positive association with MASLD risk, particularly in individuals with abnormal BMI or normal WC. Moreover, TCBI demonstrated strong predictive accuracy for MASLD among individuals with normal BMI.