The effects of DASH diet on weight loss and metabolic status in adults with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized clinical trial.

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the effects of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet on weight loss and metabolic status in overweight patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This randomized controlled clinical trial was done among 60 overweight and obese patients with NAFLD. Patients were randomly allocated to consume either the control (n=30) or the DASH eating pattern (n=30) for 8weeks. Both diets were designed to be calorie-restricted. Both diets were consisted of 52-55% carbohydrates, 16-18% proteins and 30% total fats; however, the DASH diet was designed to be rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products and low in saturated fats, cholesterol and refined grains. Adherence to the DASH eating pattern, compared to the control diet, weight (P=0.006), BMI (P=0.01), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (P=0.02), alkalin phosphatase (ALP) (P=0.001), insulin levels (P=0.01), homoeostasis model of assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (P=0.01) significantly decreased and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) (P=0.004) significantly increased. Compared with the control diet, the DASH diet has resulted in significant reductions in serum triglycerides (P=0.04) and total-/HDL-cholesterol ratio (P=0.01). Finally, decreased concentrations of serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (P=0.03), malondialdehyde (MDA) (P=0.04), increased levels of nitric oxide (NO) (P=0.01) and glutathione (GSH) (P=0.009) were found in the DASH group compared with the control group. Consumption of DASH diet for 8weeks among patients with NAFLD had beneficial effects on weight, BMI, ALT, ALP, triglycerides, markers of insulin metabolism, inflammatory markers, GSH and MDA.