Energy balance
Intensive weight loss interventions (behavioral programs, pharmacotherapy, or surgery) significantly improve biomarkers of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), including liver enzymes (ALT, AST), steatosis, and disease activity scores, but do not significantly reverse histologic liver fibrosis in the short-to-medium term.
If you have NAFLD, intensive weight loss is the most effective way to improve liver health markers like enzymes and fat content. Focus on programs that achieve significant weight loss (via diet, exercise, medication, or surgery) rather than just changing diet composition without losing weight. Be aware that while liver fat and inflammation improve, existing scarring (fibrosis) may not reverse in the short term (6 months), so consistency is key.
Compared with no or lower-intensity weight loss interventions, more-intensive weight loss interventions were statistically significantly associated with greater weight change... Weight loss interventions were statistically significantly associated with improvements in biomarkers, including alanine aminotransferase... histologically or radiologically measured liver steatosis... histologic NAFLD activity score... and presence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis... No statistically significant change in histologic liver fibrosis was found
Why this rating
High-quality systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 RCTs with 2588 participants, though heterogeneity was high (I2 > 90% for many outcomes).
Source
Association of Weight Loss Interventions With Changes in Biomarkers of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Dimitrios A. Koutoukidis et al. · JAMA Internal Medicine · 2019
DOI 10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.2248
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