Assessment of Lifestyle Factors Helps to Identify Liver Fibrosis Due to Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Obesity
On average, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is prevalent in 40% of morbidly obese individuals. However, not all obese individuals develop liver fibrosis due to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD-fibrosis). This interindividual variation has not yet clearly understood.
To help better understand, the author Lahelma and colleagues (January 2021) conducted research titled “Assessment of Lifestyle Factors Helps to Identify Liver Fibrosis Due to Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Obesity” published in the “Nutrients” journal. The summary of the study is below:
Objective:
To investigate whether the in-depth assessment of lifestyle factors (physical, biochemical assessment) and genetic factors help treat liver fibrosis in NAFLD patients.
Method:
A total of 100 obese patients were referred for bariatric surgery at the Helsinki University Hospital. These patients underwent a liver biopsy to study liver histology. Accelerometer recordings and the Modifiable Activity Questionnaire was used to determine physical activity (PA). The diet was evaluated by the FINRISK Food Frequency Questionnaire. Other information about lifestyle factors, such as sleep patterns and smoking, was recorded by face-to-face interviews. Physical parameters, biochemical parameters were measured along with a genetic risk score (GRS).
Findings:
Among the obese patients referred for bariatric surgery, independent predictors of NAFLD-fibrosis were high red meat and low carbohydrate intake, low self-reported moderate-to-vigorous PA, increased HbA1c and serum triglycerides, current or former smoking, and high GRS. Out of all the mentioned variables, red meat showed the strongest association. Investigators report that NAFLD-fibrosis can be better predicted with an assessment of lifestyle factors along with usual physical and biochemical predictors and GRS.
Thus, lifestyle factors that increase the risk for cardiovascular disease may also increase the risk of NAFLD-fibrosis.
Limitation:
Although this study had a large cohort as compared to previous studies; the authors suggest considering results as hypothesis-generating and also acknowledge the need for further investigation.
Image Credit: Abstract photo created by freepic.diller – www.freepik.com