Early childhood weight gain and alanine aminotransferase at age 8: an adjunct study of the Japan Environment and Children’s Study

Early childhood-particularly between ages 3 and 5 years-may represent a period during which associations between excess adiposity gain and later liver health become detectable. Because liver enzymes were assessed at a single time point, the temporal onset of these associations cannot be established. These findings should be interpreted cautiously and warrant confirmation using longitudinal assessments of liver health.