Ahmed OT, Gidener T, Mara KC, et al. - In this population-based study, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with a normal body mass index (BMI) is linked to a healthier metabolic profile and possibly a lower risk of liver disease progression, but the same risk of cardiovascular disease and malignancy as obese NAFLD.

• In total, 4,834 NAFLD people were identified: 414 normal BMI, 1,189 overweight, and 3,231 obese.

• The participants were divided into three groups based on their BMI at the time of NAFLD diagnosis: normal, overweight, and obese.

• In comparison to the other two groups, normal BMI NAFLD individuals had a higher proportion of women and a lower prevalence of metabolic comorbidities.

• In comparison to obese people, those with normal BMI NAFLD had a nonsignificant trend toward a lower risk of cirrhosis.

• Decompensation, cardiovascular events, and malignancy risks were not significantly different.

• Normal BMI NAFLD had a higher risk of all-cause mortality when compared with obese.