Impact of Acculturation Associated With Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Among Mexican Americans

Authors

• Rithvik Vutukuri, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
• Sharan Poonja, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
• Molly Delk, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
• Wei-Ting Lin, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
• Hui-Yi Lin, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow
• Tung-Sung Tseng, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow
• Po-Hung Chen, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
• Peng-Sheng Ting, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-4-2026

Publication Title

Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hepatology

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Latin America holds the highest global prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), affecting up to 44.4% of the population. With the growing Hispanic population in the U.S., understanding MASLD in this group is increasingly relevant. Acculturation, the adoption of host-country norms, may influence health behavior. This study examines associations between acculturation, MASLD, and fibrosis among Hispanic American adults using a U.S. national survey. METHODS: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2020 prepandemic data were analyzed for Hispanic adults ≥20 years without other liver diseases or significant alcohol use. The population was classified as Mexican Americans and non-Mexican Hispanic Americans. An acculturation index (scored 0-5) was adapted from prior literature. MASLD was defined as ≥1 cardiometabolic risk factor with controlled attenuation parameter ≥294 dB/m; fibrosis was assessed by vibration-controlled transient elastography. All analyses were conducted using survey weights adjusted for the sampling design. RESULTS: Among Mexican Americans, higher acculturation was associated with lower MASLD prevalence (53.3%, 48.1%, 30.9% for low, medium, and high acculturation, respectively; P = 0.035). Compared with low acculturation, medium and high levels conferred a 0.73-fold (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.68-0.79) and 0.30-fold (95% CI = 0.23-0.37) lower MASLD risk, respectively (p = 0.004). High acculturation was linked to a small, nonclinically significant increase in liver fibrosis (adj β = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.04-0.31). We did not find any such associations among non-Mexican Hispanic Americans, though more acculturated individuals had lower Healthy Eating Index-2020 scores (P = 0.021). CONCLUSION: Higher acculturation was associated with lower risk of MASLD among Mexican Americans, but not among non-Mexican Hispanics. Mexican Americans with low acculturation may benefit from targeted screening and counseling.

First Page

103543

PubMed ID

42093744

Volume

16

Issue

4

Rights

© 2026 Indian National Association for Study of the Liver.

Recommended Citation

Vutukuri, Rithvik; Poonja, Sharan; Delk, Molly; Lin, Wei-Ting; Lin, Hui-Yi; Tseng, Tung-Sung; Chen, Po-Hung; and Ting, Peng-Sheng, "Impact of Acculturation Associated With Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Among Mexican Americans" (2026). School of Public Health Faculty Publications. 585.
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/soph_facpubs/585
10.1016/j.jceh.2026.103543