Early childhood adiposity, lifestyle and gut microbiome are linked to steatotic liver disease development in adolescents.

Background/objectives: To examine the relationship between early childhood adiposity, adolescent lifestyles, gut microbiota and steatotic liver disease (SLD) development in adolescents using data from a prospective, longitudinal cohort study.

Methods: We included 69 adolescents (14-17 years old) with SLD and 69 adolescents without SLD, matched for BMI-z scores, sex, and age, from the 13-year longitudinal cohort the "Growth and Obesity Cohort Study". Anthropometric data between the ages of 4 and 17 and lifestyle parameters (including diet and physical activity) at 14-17 years old were evaluated. Fecal samples were collected and microbiome composition and function were assessed using 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing.

Results: Principal component analysis demonstrated dietary intake factors and childhood adiposity factors expanding the distribution variation between case and control groups, respectively. Lower odds of developing SLD during adolescence was associated with higher levels of daily fiber intake during adolescence (adjusted odds ratio = 0.91) and lower childhood adiposity (triceps skinfold at 5 years of age, suprailiac skinfold at 8 and 11 years of age, and waist-to-hip ratio at age 5-9 years). SLD was associated with a lower abundance of specific microbial species, such as Bacteroides vulgatus, which was higher in the control group compared to the case group (control/case abundance ratio = 18.71). B. vulgatus abundance also positively correlated with dietary fiber intake and inversely correlated with childhood adiposity.

Conclusions: Adiposity in early childhood and a low dietary fiber intake may contribute to the pathogenesis of SLD during adolescence, possibly through alterations to the intestinal microbiome; these findings could inform early disease markers and targets for intervention.