Table 2 Basic characteristics of participants by NAFLD and MAFLD in NHANES 2017–2018

NAFLD⁺, n(%)

/

/

23 (3.1%)

818 (73%)

MAFLD⁺, n(%)

307 (30%)

818 (97%)

< 0.001

/

/

< 0.001

MASLD⁺, n(%)

0 (%)

835 (99%)

< 0.001

17 (2.3%)

818 (73%)

< 0.001

MetALD⁺, n(%)

213 (21%)

0 (%)

< 0.001

4 (0.5%)

209 (19%)

< 0.001

Gender, n(%)

0.662

0.013

Female

513 (50%)

414 (49%)

393 (53%)

534 (47%)

Male

508 (50%)

427 (51%)

344 (47%)

591 (53%)

Age (year)

47 (32, 62)

57 (45, 66)

< 0.001

44 (30, 61)

56 (43, 65)

< 0.001

Ethnicity, n(%)

0.022

< 0.001

Mexican American

140 (14%)

134 (16%)

76 (10%)

198 (18%)

Non-Hispanic Black

267 (26%)

176 (21%)

206 (28%)

237 (21%)

Non-Hispanic White

318 (31%)

298 (35%)

231 (31%)

385 (34%)

Other

296 (29%)

233 (28%)

224 (30%)

305 (27%)

FIPR

2.16 (1.20, 4.17)

2.64 (1.51, 4.64)

< 0.001

2.43 (1.24, 4.56)

2.43 (1.35, 4.40)

0.994

Education, n(%)

0.200

0.409

College or above

585 (57%)

515 (61%)

448 (61%)

652 (58%)

High school or equivalent

253 (25%)

184 (22%)

170 (23%)

267 (24%)

Less than high school

183 (18%)

141 (17%)

119 (16%)

205 (18%)

Smoking, n(%)

0.007

0.061

Nonsmoker

561 (55%)

514 (61%)

445 (60%)

630 (56%)

Smoker

460 (45%)

327 (39%)

292 (40%)

495 (44%)

Physical Activity

0.043

< 0.001

Sedentary

497 (49%)

449 (54%)

331 (45%)

615 (55%)

Insufficient

131 (13%)

114 (14%)

90 (12%)

155 (14%)

Moderate

112 (11%)

93 (11%)

86 (12%)

119 (11%)

High

280 (27%)

183 (22%)

229 (31%)

234 (21%)

BMI (Kg/m²)

27 (24, 32)

31 (27, 36)

< 0.001

25 (22, 29)

31 (28, 36)

< 0.001

WC (cm)

94 (84, 105)

106 (96, 117)

< 0.001

89 (81, 98)

106 (98, 117)

< 0.001

FPG (mg/dl)

101 (95, 110)

107 (100, 120)

< 0.001

99 (93, 106)

108 (100, 121)

< 0.001

Hb1Ac (%)

5.50 (5.20, 5.90)

5.85 (5.50, 6.70)

< 0.001

5.40 (5.20, 5.70)

5.80 (5.50, 6.60)

< 0.001

SBP (mmHg)

121 (111, 134)

126 (116, 138)

< 0.001

118 (108, 131)

127 (117, 138)

< 0.001

DBP (mmHg)

73 (66, 80)

74 (67, 81)

0.122

71 (65, 78)

75 (67, 82)

< 0.001

TG (mg/dl)

79 (58, 108)

99 (72, 129)

< 0.001

71 (55, 100)

100 (73, 130)

< 0.001

HDL-C (mg/dl)

54 (44, 66)

48 (41, 57)

< 0.001

57 (47, 68)

48 (41, 57)

< 0.001

HOMA-IR

1.99 (1.50, 2.65)

2.48 (1.81, 3.17)

< 0.001

1.90 (1.42, 2.48)

2.47 (1.83, 3.16)

< 0.001

Hypertension, n(%)

< 0.001

< 0.001

No

490 (48%)

247 (29%)

411 (56%)

326 (29%)

Yes

531 (52%)

594 (71%)

326 (44%)

799 (71%)

T2DM, n(%)

< 0.001

< 0.001

No

801 (78%)

453 (54%)

634 (86%)

620 (55%)

Yes

220 (22%)

388 (46%)

103 (14%)

505 (45%)

Hyperlipidemia, n(%)

< 0.001

< 0.001

No

203 (20%)

67 (8.0%)

185 (25%)

85 (7.6%)

Yes

818 (80%)

774 (92%)

552 (75%)

1,040 (92%)