Liver Fat Is Associated With Elevated <scp>FGF21</scp> in Youth With Obesity but Without <scp>MASLD</scp>
Among pubertal youth with obesity and liver fat below the MASLD threshold, modest increases in PDFF were independently associated with higher FGF21. These findings support the potential utility of FGF21 as a biomarker of early hepatic-metabolic stress in the framework of 'pre-MASLD' state-similar to pre-diabetes before the development of overt steatosis.
Authors
- Eva C. Diaz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3528-677X)
- Emir Tas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3759-2778)
- Børsheim Elisabet
- Silva Arslanian
- Xiawei Ou
Institutions
- Arkansas Children's Hospital (US)
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh (US)
- Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center (US)
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Pediatric Obesity
- Published
- 2026-02-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.70092
- Primary Topic
- Fibroblast Growth Factor Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- National Institutes of Health
- Agricultural Research Service
- National Institute of General Medical Sciences