背景與目的：台灣地區脂肪肝的盛行率有增加的趨勢，但非酒精性脂肪肝的文獻並不多，本研究的目的是為了瞭解台中地區非酒精性脂肪肝盛行率的概況，並作為日後制訂本土化實證醫學資料庫的參考。方法：這是以醫院為樣本來源所做的橫斷式研究，於西元2000 年1 月至2002 年12 月曾經到台中市某一醫學中心作自費健康檢查的民眾為樣本，有酒癮的民眾不列入本次研究的對象，總共3028 位民眾納入本次研究，並且分成三種年齡層來探討：20~39 歲、40~64 歲、與大於或等於65 歲。非酒精性脂肪肝是請腸胃專科醫師以超音波診斷?統計方法採用t 檢定與卡方檢定來檢定組間的差異，以邏輯斯迴歸分析來檢定非酒精性脂肪肝的盛行率相與年齡之間的相關性。結果：男性佔1618 人(53.4%)，女性佔1410 人(46.6%)，平均年齡為49.6 (12.4 歲(範圍20~87歲)。整體非酒精性脂肪肝的盛行率40.8%，其中男性為48.2%，女性為32.3%，男女性非酒精性脂肪肝的盛行率有統計學上的差異(p < 0.0001)。再分成20~39 歲、40~64 歲、與大於或等於65 歲三組來探討，男性分別為44.6%、51.0%與38.3%，三組年齡層比較之後有統計學上的差異(p = 0.002)。女性非酒精性脂肪肝的盛行率分別為10.2%、35.9%與46.4%，三組年齡層比較之後有統計學上的差異(p < 0.0001)。以邏輯斯迴歸分析來檢定非酒精性脂肪肝盛行率相與年齡之間的相關性，發現女性非酒精性脂肪肝的盛行率有隨著年齡增加而遞增的趨勢(p < 0.0001，95%信賴區間：0.075~0.111)，男性則沒有這種趨勢。結論：本次研究的結果顯示台中地區非酒精性脂肪肝的盛行率是處於偏高狀態，希望本次結果對於台灣地區非酒精性脂肪肝基本資料的建立有所助益。

Background and Purpose: In order to explore the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liverin Taichung, an urban area in Taiwan and further to establish a database for evidence-basedmedicine. Methods: This was a hospital-based, cross-sectional study. We retrospectivelyanalyzed patients receiving health checkups at 1 medical center located at Taichung, west-centralTaiwan from January 2000 to December 2002. Subjects who habitually drank alcohol wereexcluded. In total, 3028 peoplewere enrolled in this study, and theywere divided into 3 age groups:20~39, 40~64, and (65 years old. Fatty liver was diagnosed by the gastroenterologists usingsonography. The t-test and Chi-square test were used to assess the significance in differences forcontinuous and categorical variables, respectively.We also used logistic regression to assess thedose-response trend. Results:Therewere 1618men (53.4%) and 1410women (46.6%). Themeanage was 49.6 (12.4 (range, 20~87) years. Overall, the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver was40.8% (48.2% in men and 32.3% in women, p < 0.0001). Among the 3 different age groups (20~39,40~64, and (65 years), the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver was 44.6%, 51.0%, and 38.3% inmen (p = 0.002) and 10.2%, 35.9%, and 46.4% in women (p < 0.0001), respectively. The logisticregression showed that the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver increased with age in women (p< 0.0001, 95% confidence interval: 0.075~0.111), but not in men. Conclusion: The prevalence ofnonalcoholic fatty liver was found to be relatively high in Taichung. We hope this study canprovide basic information for further surveys of nonalcoholic fatty liver in Taiwan.