Consistent with diagnosis, NAFLD groups showed obviously higher aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT), triglyceride (TG), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-h plasma glucose (2hPG), and apolipoprotein E (APOE) than the subjects without NAFLD in non-T2DM group (P <  0.05). Here, APOE is linked to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.