Waist-to-Height Ratio Predicts Liver Steatosis and Fibrosis

WEDNESDAY, June 18, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) outperforms body mass index (BMI) in detecting the risk for liver disease, according to a study published in the July issue of the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

Andrew O. Agbaje, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., from University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio, examined whether new WHtR cut points predict liver steatosis and fibrosis. The analysis included data from 6,464 multiracial U.S. adults participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2021 to 2023).

Agbaje found that adjusted WHtR high fat mass predicted liver steatosis (odds ratio [OR], 1.63) and fibrosis (OR, 1.31). Similarly, excess WHtR fat mass was associated with liver steatosis (OR, 4.02) and fibrosis (OR, 1.61), while normal WHtR fat mass predicted lower odds of liver steatosis (OR, 0.52) and fibrosis/cirrhosis (OR, 0.48). Separately, WHtR high fat mass and excess fat mass predicted higher odds of liver steatosis better than BMI-overweight and BMI-obesity (1.6-fold and 6.0-fold, respectively).

“Remarkably, the findings were consistent regardless of sex and age. In addition, the findings were similar across the studied White, Black, Mexican-American, and Hispanic populations,” Agbaje said in a statement. “The simple and universally accessible waist-to-height measurement is useful in clinical and public health practice for liver disease screening, prevention, diagnosis and management globally.”

Abstract/Full Text