Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: PREVALENCE OF AND RISK FACTORS FOR FATTY LIVER IN THE GENERAL 
POPULATION OF NORTHERN ITALY: THE BAGNACAVALLO STUDY  
 
Version: 2 Date: 23 Aug 2018  
 
Reviewer: Ping Yao  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Please include all comments for the authors in this box rather than uploading your report as an 
attachment. Please only upload as attachments anno tated versions of manuscripts, graphs, 
supporting materials or other aspects of your report which cannot be included in a text format.  
Please overwrite this text when adding your comments to the authors.  
 
The manuscript (BMGE -D-18-00200_R2) submitted and r evised by Foschi et al demonstrated 
that FL as a whole was highly prevalent in Bagnacavallo in 2005/9 and was more common 
among ALE+ citizens. Different from alcohol intake, all the components of the MS was 
associated with FL. The manuscript has been revis ed according to the reviewers point -to-point; 
however, there is still some issues should be addressed.  
1) According to the study design, The Bagnacavallo Study was performed between October 
2005 and March 2009. How to make sure the comparability of all dat a during the almost 4 
years? How about the follow -up results?  
 
2) Liver ultrasonography is not suitable for the diagnosis of FL, which should, at least, be 
discussed in the manuscript.  
 
3) Usually it is unreasonable that alcohol intake was not associated wi th FL. The information 
about drinking duration, drinking age, total drinking units, abstinence and etc should be take 
into consideration for further assay or discussion.  
 
4) Some criterions of physiological or biochemical index should be supplemented in th e 
manuscript.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please s pecify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data sh own?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspect s require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declarati on of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose  
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If you r reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests . 
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included  
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report  
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors'  
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments  
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments  
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: PREVALENCE OF AND RISK FACTORS FOR FATTY LIVER IN THE GENERAL 
POPULATION OF NORTHERN ITALY: THE BAGNACAVALLO STUDY  
 
Version: 2 Date: 23 Aug 2018  
 
Reviewer: Ping Yao  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Please include all comments for the authors in this box rather than uploading your report as an 
attachment. Please only upload as attachments anno tated versions of manuscripts, graphs, 
supporting materials or other aspects of your report which cannot be included in a text format.  
Please overwrite this text when adding your comments to the authors.  
 
The manuscript (BMGE -D-18-00200_R2) submitted and r evised by Foschi et al demonstrated 
that FL as a whole was highly prevalent in Bagnacavallo in 2005/9 and was more common 
among ALE+ citizens. Different from alcohol intake, all the components of the MS was 
associated with FL. The manuscript has been revis ed according to the reviewers point -to-point; 
however, there is still some issues should be addressed.  
1) According to the study design, The Bagnacavallo Study was performed between October 
2005 and March 2009. How to make sure the comparability of all dat a during the almost 4 
years? How about the follow -up results?  
 
2) Liver ultrasonography is not suitable for the diagnosis of FL, which should, at least, be 
discussed in the manuscript.  
 
3) Usually it is unreasonable that alcohol intake was not associated wi th FL. The information 
about drinking duration, drinking age, total drinking units, abstinence and etc should be take 
into consideration for further assay or discussion.  
 
4) Some criterions of physiological or biochemical index should be supplemented in th e 
manuscript.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please s pecify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data sh own?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspect s require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declarati on of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose  
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If you r reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests . 
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included  
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report  
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors'  
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments  
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments  
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: PREVALENCE OF AND RISK FACTORS FOR FATTY LIVER IN THE GENERAL 
POPULATION OF NORTHERN ITALY: THE BAGNACAVALLO STUDY  
 
Version: 2 Date: 23 Aug 2018  
 
Reviewer: Ping Yao  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Please include all comments for the authors in this box rather than uploading your report as an 
attachment. Please only upload as attachments anno tated versions of manuscripts, graphs, 
supporting materials or other aspects of your report which cannot be included in a text format.  
Please overwrite this text when adding your comments to the authors.  
 
The manuscript (BMGE -D-18-00200_R2) submitted and r evised by Foschi et al demonstrated 
that FL as a whole was highly prevalent in Bagnacavallo in 2005/9 and was more common 
among ALE+ citizens. Different from alcohol intake, all the components of the MS was 
associated with FL. The manuscript has been revis ed according to the reviewers point -to-point; 
however, there is still some issues should be addressed.  
1) According to the study design, The Bagnacavallo Study was performed between October 
2005 and March 2009. How to make sure the comparability of all dat a during the almost 4 
years? How about the follow -up results?  
 
2) Liver ultrasonography is not suitable for the diagnosis of FL, which should, at least, be 
discussed in the manuscript.  
 
3) Usually it is unreasonable that alcohol intake was not associated wi th FL. The information 
about drinking duration, drinking age, total drinking units, abstinence and etc should be take 
into consideration for further assay or discussion.  
 
4) Some criterions of physiological or biochemical index should be supplemented in th e 
manuscript.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please s pecify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data sh own?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspect s require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declarati on of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose  
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If you r reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests . 
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included  
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report  
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors'  
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments  
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments  
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
assistant