Table 1 Baseline characteristics of four groups stratified according to the change in fatty liver status

Males (n, %)

822 (61.2 %)

101 (90.2 %)

215 (85.7 %)

361 (94.5 %)

<0.001

Age

40.9 ± 6.5

41.9 ± 6.7

41.1 ± 5.6

41.5 ± 5.7

0.210

Glucose (mmol/L)

4.91 ± 0.44

5.05 ± 0.45

5.00 ± 0.44

5.09 ± 0.45

<0.001

0.002

Triglyceride (mmol/L)

1.05 [0.79, 1.42]

1.63 [1.28, 2.09]

1.62 [1.13, 2.06]

1.79 [1.37, 2.42]

<0.001

<0.001

HDL-C (mmol/L)

1.54 ± 0.31

1.38 ± 0.25

1.42 ± 0.28

1.36 ± 0.23

<0.001

<0.001

Waist circumference (cm)

76.8 ± 8.3

86.2 ± 5.6

82.6 ± 5.9

87.6 ± 5.3

<0.001

<0.001

BMI (kg/m²)

22.6 ± 2.6

25.2 ± 2.2

24.1 ± 2.2

25.7 ± 2.0

<0.001

<0.001

SBP (mmHg)

109.6 ± 10.1

114.2 ± 8.0

112.4 ± 9.2

114.2 ± 7.8

<0.001

<0.001

DBP (mmHg)

70.5 ± 8.0

73.5 ± 6.4

72.0 ± 7.4

74.0 ± 6.3

<0.001

<0.001

Alcohol

10.45 ± 14.20

11.13 ± 12.44

13.67 ± 16.29

12.27 ± 14.90

0.005

0.367

Smoking status

<0.001

<0.001

 Never smoker

765 (56.9 %)

37 (33.0 %)

96 (38.2 %)

113 (29.6 %)

 Current smoker

579 (43.1 %)

75 (67.0 %)

155 (61.8 %)

269 (70.4 %)

Exercise ≥1/week

555 (41.3 %)

41 (36.6 %)

90 (35.9 %)

125 (32.7 %)

0.014

<0.001

Incident diabetes development

1 (0.1 %)

2 (1.8 %)

3 (1.2 %)

6 (1.6 %)

0.001

<0.001