Objective To investigate the prevalence of metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and its correlation with metabolic components among personnel on tropical islands. Methods The data of personnel who received health examination on islands in 2024 were analyzed, and they were grouped with the age limit of 30 years old to compare the detection rates of MAFLD and metabolic components in different age groups. In people aged≥30 years old, the age, gender, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), fasting blood glucose, blood lipids, liver function, kidney function and other indexes were compared between MAFLD and non-MAFLD groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were conducted to analyze the factors affecting the occurrence of MAFLD. The effects of various metabolic components on the risk of MAFLD in different age groups were analyzed by subgroup analyses. Results Among 1 213 personnel, 175 (14.4%) cases had MAFLD, of which 141 (80.6%) cases were mild, 32 (18.3%) were moderate, and 2 (1.1%) were severe. The detection rates of MAFLD (25.6% ［74/289］ vs 10.9% ［101/924］) and overweight/obesity (55.7% ［161/289］ vs 37.7% ［348/924］) in age≥30 years old were significantly higher than those in age＜30 years old (both P＜0.001). In people aged≥30 years old, compared with the non-MAFLD group, the BMI, WC, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, gamma glutamyltransferase and uric acid (UA) in the MAFLD group were significantly higher (all P＜0.05), and the high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) was significantly lower (P＜ 0.05). There were no significant differences in age, gender, fast blood glucose, total cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, serum creatinine, or blood urea nitrogen (all P＞0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that WC was an independent risk factor for MAFLD (odds ratio ［OR］ ＝1.101, 95% confidence interval ［95%CI］ 1.030-1.176, P＝0.004); HDL-C was an independent protective factor for MAFLD (OR＝0.071, 95%CI 0.016-0.323, P＝0.001); and BMI≥24.0 kg/m² and WC≥90 cm were positively correlated with MAFLD (both P＜0.01). In people aged≥30 years old, the risk of MAFLD was increased in those with overweight/obesity, arterial blood pressure≥130/85 mmHg (1 mmHg＝0.133 kPa), TG≥ 1.7 mmol/L, HDL-C≤1.0 mmol/L and UA＞420 μmol/L (all P＜0.05), and the risk of MAFLD was most significantly increased in overweight/obesity people (hazard ratio ［HR］ ＝5.088, 95%CI 2.724-9.504, P＜0.001). Among people aged＜ 30 years old, the risk of MAFLD was increased in those with overweight/obesity and UA＞420 μmol/L (both P＜0.01), and the risk of MAFLD was most significantly increased in overweight/obesity individuals (HR＝6.305, 95%CI 3.973-10.006, P＜ 0.001). Conclusion The detection rates of MAFLD and various metabolic components are higher in the personnel on tropical islands, and the risk of MAFLD is higher in those with overweight/obesity, TG≥1.7 mmol/L and hyperuricemia.