1.
Healthy Lifestyle Is Associated with Reduced Mortality in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
Yu, C, Gao, J, Ge, X, Wang, X, Ding, Y, Tian, T, Xu, X, Guo, W, Wang, Q, Ge, Z, et al
Nutrients. 2022;14(18)
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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the predominant cause of chronic liver disease. Given the association between NAFLD and metabolic syndrome [11,12], lifestyle modification can improve patients’ life quality and prognosis. The aim of this study was to assess the joint association of several modifiable lifestyle factors with overall and cause-specific mortality among NAFLD individuals and depict the mortality risk of varied composite modes of lifestyle. This study is a large, nationally representative, population-based study. It is based on the NHANES III (1988–1994, the National Center for Health Statistics, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention), which used a complex multistage probability design to recruit a representative sample of participants. Results show a protective effect among NAFLD participants following a healthy lifestyle, particularly impacting CVD-related mortality. Notably, among the most common lifestyle factor combinations, the effect of risk reduction on mortality was particularly strong when smoking was avoided. Authors conclude that their findings can be a useful tool to help the general public and patients with NAFLD to understand the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS It is unclear whether a healthy lifestyle impacts mortality in the presence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The present study aimed to examine the joint association of several modifiable lifestyle factors with mortality risk for NAFLD patients. METHODS We collected lifestyle behavior data form the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III from 1988 to 1994 and follow-up data form NHANES III-linked mortality data through 2015. We estimated joint association between four healthy lifestyle factors (non-smoking, non-drinking, regular physical activity, a healthy diet) after NAFLD diagnosis and mortality using Cox proportional hazards regression models. RESULTS During a median of 22.83 years of follow-up, 2932 deaths occurred. The risk of all-cause mortality decreased significantly with the healthy lifestyle scores increasing (p < 0.001). NAFLD patients with a favorable lifestyle (3 or 4 healthy lifestyle factors) reduced 36% of all-cause mortality and 43% of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality compared with those with an unfavorable lifestyle (0 or 1 healthy lifestyle factor) (HR, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.50-0.81], 0.57 [95% CI, 0.37-0.88]). Compared with the non-NAFLD group, the number of NAFLD patients required to adhere to a favorable lifestyle to prevent one cardiovascular disease death in 20 years was fewer (77 vs. 125). CONCLUSIONS For the NAFLD patients, adopting a healthy lifestyle could significantly reduce their risk of death.
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Association between Mediterranean Diet and Fatty Liver in Women with Overweight and Obesity.
Leone, A, Bertoli, S, Bedogni, G, Vignati, L, Pellizzari, M, Battezzati, A
Nutrients. 2022;14(18)
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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a condition resulting from excessive lipid accumulation in the liver in individuals with low alcohol consumption. Obesity is an established risk factor for the development of NAFLD, and 50% to 75% of people with obesity also have NAFLD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between Mediterranean diet and non-invasive indices of fatty liver in a large sample of women with overweight and obesity. This study is a cross-sectional study of 2967 consecutive women with overweight and obesity. Results show that higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with lower indices of fatty liver in women with overweight and obesity (particularly obese women than in women who are overweight). Authors conclude that women with obesity, especially during the premenopausal period, may benefit more from following a Mediterranean-style diet.
Abstract
Obesity is a risk factor for NAFLD. However, not all people with obesity have an excessive intrahepatic fat content. Adherence to a high-quality dietary pattern may also promote liver health in obesity. A cross-sectional study of 2967 women with overweight and obesity was carried out to assess the association between a Mediterranean diet and fatty liver. All women underwent clinical examination, anthropometric measurements, blood sampling, ultrasound measurements of abdominal visceral and subcutaneous fat, and assessment of adherence to the Mediterranean diet using the 14-item MEDAS questionnaire. Fatty liver index (FLI), NAFLD fatty liver steatosis (NAFLD-FLS) and hepatic steatosis index (HSI) were calculated. In women with obesity, the MEDAS score was inversely associated with FLI (β = -0.60, 95% CI: -1.04, -0.16, p = 0.008), NAFLD-FLS (β = -0.092, 95% CI: -0.134, -0.049, p < 0.001) and HSI (β = -0.17, 95% CI: -0.30, -0.04, p = 0.011). Stronger associations were observed in premenopausal women with obesity. Mediterranean diet was inversely associated with NAFLD-FLS in women with overweight, independently of menopausal status. In conclusion, Mediterranean diet is associated with a better liver status in women with overweight and obesity. This may have a public health impact and be useful in drafting nutritional guidelines for NAFLD.