In a study led by Carlotta Riebensahm, MD, PhD, and colleagues, the connection between physical activity (PA) and liver steatosis in people living with HIV (PWH) was explored. Their findings were published online in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Utilizing data from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study, researchers assessed PA levels and liver fat content using specialized techniques. Of the 466 participants, 50.4% exhibited liver steatosis. Analyses revealed that insufficient PA, as well as prolonged sitting time, were linked to liver steatosis in PWH, regardless of body mass index. Multivariable regression models demonstrated that PA below European Association for the Study of the Liver recommendations was associated with a 2.34-fold increase in odds of liver steatosis. Moreover, alternative measures of PA, such as metabolic equivalents task minutes per week and sitting hours per day, yielded consistent results. These findings underscore the significance of encouraging physical activity to mitigate liver steatosis risk among individuals with HIV, suggesting potential preventive strategies in managing metabolic complications in this population.
