Alcohol Consumption and Smoking Impact on Fatty Liver

As previously mentioned^{21 (link)}, the researchers used questionnaires, physical examinations, and blood tests to obtain baseline data from the participants. Subjects were categorized depending on average weekly ethanol and type of alcohol intake. Alcohol intake of less than 40 g per week is defined as no or minimal alcohol consumption^{23 (link)}. Weekly alcohol intake of 40 g to 140 g is defined as light alcohol consumption^{23 (link)}. Alcohol intake of 140 g to 280 g per week is defined as moderate alcohol consumption^{23 (link)}. Weekly alcohol intake greater than 280 g is defined as heavy alcohol consumption^{23 (link)}. Participants were divided into non-smokers, ex-smokers, and current smokers based on their smoking status at baseline. Non-smokers were defifined as participants who never smoked cigarettes, ex-smokers as participants who had smoked in the past but who quit smoking until the baseline visit, and current-smokers as participants who smoked at the baseline visit^{21 (link)}.
Regular participation in sports > 1x/week is defined as regular exercise. ^{24 (link)}. Body mass index is calculated as the number of kilograms of body weight divided by the square of the number of meters of height^{25 (link)}. The ratio of TG/HDL-C was measured by dividing the fasting triglyceride level (mmol/L) into the fasting High-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (mmol/L). Gastroenterologists diagnose fatty liver by reviewing abdominal ultrasound based on four known criteria (liver brightness, liver, and kidney echo contrast, vascular blurring, and depth attenuation)^{26 (link)}.