Eating Fast and Until Full Is Associated with Elevated Alanine Aminotransferase Activity in Japanese Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study

Eating Fast and Until Full Is Associated with Elevated Alanine Aminotransferase Activity in Japanese Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study

Akira Minoura,¹ Hirotaka Ochiai,¹ Takako Shirasawa,¹ Rimei Nishimura,² Reika Yoshida,¹ Minami Azuma,¹ Hiromi Hoshino¹ and Akatsuki Kokaze¹

¹Department of Hygiene, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
²Division of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jikei University of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity has been recognized as a marker for monitoring the risk of metabolic syndrome, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in children. Higher ALT activity was reported to be associated with eating fast in Japanese adults, but the association in children is unclear. Moreover, eating fast and eating until full are reported to be associated with being overweight. This study examined the association between elevated ALT and eating behaviors (eating fast and eating until full) among population-based schoolchildren (aged 9-10 years) in Ina Town, Saitama, Japan. Data for eating behaviors were obtained from a self-written questionnaire. Blood samples were drawn to measure ALT. Elevated ALT was defined as > 30 U/L in boys and > 19 U/L in girls. Logistic regression models and structural equation models were used to calculate the effect of eating behaviors on elevated ALT. Final data analysis was carried out for 1,870 boys and 1,739 girls. �gEating fast and eating until full�h was significantly associated with elevated ALT in each sex. �gEating fast and not eating until full�h was significantly associated with elevated ALT in boys, but after adjusting for exercise and body mass index, this association was not significant. In conclusion, �geating fast and eating until full�h was associated with elevated ALT in schoolchildren. A sex difference in the association of �geating fast and not eating until full�h with elevated ALT was observed. Modifying the behaviors of eating fast and eating until full is important for schoolchildren to prevent ALT elevation.

Keywords —— cross-sectional study; eating fast; eating until full; elevated alanine aminotransferase activity; schoolchildren

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Tohoku J. Exp. Med 2021 253, 11-18.

Correspondence: Akira Minoura, Ph.D., Department of Hygiene, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Showa University, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan.

e-mail: minoaki@med.showa-u.ac.jp