Increased Risk of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Low Birth Weight Individuals

June 9, 2026 updated by: Charlotte Brøns, Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen

Increased Risk of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Low Birth Weight Individuals - Extended Validation.

The investigators recently demonstrated a increase in liver fat in early middle-aged LBW compared to normal birth weight (NBW) men, and 20% of the LBW - but none of the normal birth weight (NBW) - men had previously unknown non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Here the investigators will further examine the Increased risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in low birth weight individuals by performing a validation study.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Detailed Description

An adverse fetal environment characterized by low birth weight (LBW) plays a key role in the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The investigators recently demonstrated a 3-fold increase in liver fat in 26 early middle-aged LBW compared to 22 normal birth weight (NBW) men, and 20% of the LBW - but none of the normal birth weight (NBW) - men had previously unknown non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The investigators hypothesize that ectopic fat deposition and NAFLD is among the earliest disease manifestations and on the critical path to the development of more severe cardiometabolic disease in LBW. Here we aim to perform an extended nested case-control screening study to evaluate hepatic steatosis (NAFLD) and fibrosis in early middle-aged, non-obese LBW men and women and NBW controls. In total, 250 LBW men and women (birth weight (BW) <10% of the population) and 50 NBW controls (BW between 50-90% of the population) born at term (weeks 39-41), 34-49 years-of-age will be recruited from the National Danish Birth Registry for the nested case-control NAFLD screening study. The nested case-control NAFLD screening study will serve as a recruitment platform for a subsequent intervention study.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
300

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy men and women aged between 34-49 years born with a low (cases) and normal (controls) birth weight. All individuals have to be born at term in either the Copenhagen or Aarhus area.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 250 healthy, men and women born with a low birth weight (birth weight (BW) <10% of the population) and 50 born with a normal birth weight controls (BW between 50-90% of the population)
  • born at term (weeks 39-41)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • BMI>35 kg/m2
  • Disease/medication known to affect primary outcome
  • Self-reported high physical activity level
  • Alcohol intake above general recommendations.
  • Metabolic/liver disease
  • Weight gain/loss of >3 kg within the past 6 months

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Liver fat content
Time Frame: 0 minutes
Liver elastography (FibroScan) and validation by MRS
0 minutes

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Liver fibrosis
Time Frame: 0 minutes
Liver elastography, validation by MR and liver histology
0 minutes
Body composition
Time Frame: 0 minutes
DEXA
0 minutes
Fasting glucose
Time Frame: 0 minutes
mmol/l
0 minutes
Fasting insulin/C-peptide
Time Frame: 0 minutes
pmol/l
0 minutes
Fasting lipids
Time Frame: 0 minutes
mmol/l
0 minutes
Fasting liver enzymes
Time Frame: 0 minutes
U/L
0 minutes

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Transcriptomics in SAT and ex vivo cultured preadipocytes
Time Frame: 0 minutes
RNAseq
0 minutes
Epigenetics of SAT and ex vivo cultured preadipocytes
Time Frame: 0 minutes
Genome-wide DNA methylation
0 minutes
Functional characterization of lipid accumulation
Time Frame: 0 minutes
Metabolism of ex vivo differentiated preadipocytes
0 minutes
Functional characterization of lipolysis
Time Frame: 0 minutes
Metabolism of ex vivo differentiated preadipocytes
0 minutes
Functional characterization of glycolysis
Time Frame: 0 minutes
Metabolism of ex vivo differentiated preadipocytes
0 minutes
Functional characterization of respiration
Time Frame: 0 minutes
Metabolism of ex vivo differentiated preadipocytes
0 minutes
Adipocyte size
Time Frame: 0 minutes
Histology in SAT
0 minutes
Adipocyte collagen content
Time Frame: 0 minutes
Histology in SAT
0 minutes
Immunohistochemical markers of fibrosis
Time Frame: 0 minutes
Histology in SAT
0 minutes
Immunohistochemical markers of senescence
Time Frame: 0 minutes
Histology in SAT
0 minutes
Immunohistochemical markers of inflammation
Time Frame: 0 minutes
Histology in SAT
0 minutes
Adipokine secretion of differentiating preadipocytes
Time Frame: 0 minutes
Targeted adipokine analysis using immunoassay-based panels
0 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Lund University
Aarhus University Hospital

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Charlotte Brøns, PhD, Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen
  • Study Director: Allan Vaag, MD, PhD, Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 14, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 2, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 26, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 6, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 11, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 9, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • NAFLD validation

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings