Research
Adherence
High-intensity physical activity (highest quartile of metabolic equivalents) and resistance/aerobic training reduce hepatic steatosis and improve insulin sensitivity, independent of weight loss.
You do not need to lose weight to see liver benefits from exercise. Focus on getting your heart rate up (aerobic) and building muscle (resistance) regularly. Even avoiding prolonged sitting helps. The goal is to improve how your body handles energy, not just to burn calories.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Recent meta-analyses of interventional studies have also shown that both aerobic and resistance training can improve hepatic steatosis [97,98]—often independent of weight change. ... exercise may independently improve insulin sensitivity [101] (improving hepatic energy kinetics) and increase hepatic VLDL clearance [102].
Why this rating
Supported by multiple observational studies and meta-analyses of interventional studies cited in the review.
Source
Understanding NAFLD: From Case Identification to Interventions, Outcomes, and Future Perspectives
Daniel Clayton‐Chubb et al. · Nutrients · 2023
narrative_reviewCited 38×
Read the paper This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →