Abstract
BackgroundDiet-based recommendations can be developed for preventing and treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) after investigating the effects of whole diets on NAFLD. The aim of this study was to identify major dietary patterns and their association with the risk of NAFLD.MethodsA total of 244 individuals (122 NAFLD patients and 122 controls) participated in this case-control study. The patients with NAFLD were diagnosed by a gastroenterologist. The participants’ dietary intake data were collected using a 147-item semi-quantitive food frequency questionnaire and major dietary patterns were identified by principal component analysis. Adherence to dietary patterns was divided into tertiles and its association with odds of NAFLD was investigated by multivariate logistic regression.ResultsThe results showed four major dietary patterns, among which adherence to the “ordinary pattern” was positively associated with NAFLD risk. After adjusting for all confounding factors, individuals in the highest tertile of “ordinary pattern” exhibited a significantly elevated risk of NAFLD compared to the lowest tertile (OR = 3.74, 95%CI = 1.23–11.42, P trend< 0.001). As well as, Individuals in the second and third tertiles of the “traditional pattern” were associated with the risk of NAFLD compared to the lowest tertile (medium vs. lowest tertile OR = 2.37, 95%CI = 1.02–5.53; highest vs. lowest tertile OR = 3.58, 95% CI = 1.48–8.68, P trend< 0.001). The highest tertile of “vegetable and dairy pattern” compared to the lowest tertile was inversely associated with NAFLD risk (OR = 0.23, 95%CI = 0.09–0.58, P trend = 0.02). No significant association was found between “fast food type pattern” and the risk of NAFLD.ConclusionA significant association was observed between different dietary patterns and the risk of NAFLD. These results can potentially serve as a dietary strategy for preventing NAFLD in individuals who are at a high risk for progression of NAFLD.
Highlights
Diet-based recommendations can be developed for preventing and treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) after investigating the effects of whole diets on NAFLD
Individuals in the second and third tertiles of the “traditional pattern” were associated with the risk of NAFLD compared to the lowest tertile, and there was a significant dose-response relationship (P trend< 0.001)
The findings showed that “ordinary” and “traditional” patterns increased the risk of NAFLD significantly, while the “vegetable and dairy pattern” had an inverse association with NAFLD in our study population
Summary
Diet-based recommendations can be developed for preventing and treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) after investigating the effects of whole diets on NAFLD. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common worldwide cause of liver disease [1], is identified by an excessive flux of free fatty acids (FFA) and accumulation of triglycerides (TG) in the liver [2]. The NAFLD increases inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction in the liver that result in hepatic steatosis [5]. It may develop into steatohepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma in some individuals [6]. The common causes of triglyceride accumulation in hepatocytes are insulin resistance, obesity, and, dietary factors among individuals without excessive alcohol consumption, use of steatogenic drugs, or genetic diseases [8, 9]. Decreased energy intake or adherence to high protein, high monounsaturated, and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and antioxidant intake were reported to decrease the hepatic steatosis [15,16,17]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
