Personal income perception and the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

Background In recent years, researchers have discovered that the development of MASLD disease does not solely depend on medical conditions and dietary behaviors, but is also influenced by sociodemographic and economic factors (e.g., education and income). This study aims to analyse the association between personal satisfaction with one’s income and the development of MASLD disease in a cohort from the southeast of Italy. Methods The analysis involved 1,297 participants from the NUTRIEP project, who completed a questionnaire about their medical history, dietary behaviors, and socioeconomic background. The participants’ personal assessment of their income was categorised into five levels from “Totally insufficient” to “Good”. Results The logistic regression model revealed a significant protective effect of personal satisfaction regarding income in relation to the development of MASLD. The Odds Ratios of participants were OR = 0.55 ( p = 0.186, 95% C.I. 0.23; 1.33), OR = 0.40 ( p < 0.05, 95% C.I. 0.17; 0.92), OR = 0.22 ( p < 0.05, 95% C.I. 0.08; 0.61), and OR = 0.17 ( p < 0.05, 95% C.I. 0.05; 0.55) across the categories ranging from “Just Sufficient” to “Sufficient,” “More than Sufficient,” and “Good” satisfaction with income. Conclusion This research confirms the association between the development of MASLD and income satisfaction, supporting the notion that this condition is linked to the social context of those affected. The analysis also highlighted dietary behaviors related to income and personal perception. Less satisfied individuals exhibited a higher kcal intake and lower rMED scores, indicating a greater consumption of low-quality energy-dense foods. Furthermore, this research emphasizes the widening wage disparity among social classes, which could threaten to the public health.