Comparison of the nutritional structure of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with the most significant nutrition patterns for health

• Alexey A. Goncharov
• Vladimir I. Pilipenko
• Vasily A. Isakov

Abstract

Impaired nutritional patterns in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are considered to be one of the causes of the disease, with certain types of nutrition having a pronounced protective effect on the incidence of NAFLD.

The aim of the study was to compare in detail the nutritional characteristics of Russian patients with NAFLD compared with hepatoprotective dietary patterns (Mediterranean, vegetarian diet, DASH diet).

Material and methods. As the research material, data from the examination of 613 patients of the Federal Research Centre of Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety, obtained in the period from 2021 to 2023, were used. The assessment of the stage of liver steatosis and fibrosis was carried out using vibration-controlled transient elastography. The patients were divided into 2 groups: the NAFLD group (n=367) and the control group (n=205), and pairs (n=77) of these groups were formed by gender, age and BMI. Nutrition was assessed using a semi-quantitative method of analyzing food consumption over the previous 1 month. Consumption of food groups by the studied groups was compared with intake in dietary patterns associated with reduced risk of NAFLD.

Results. Analysis of the consumption of food groups in the diets of patients with NAFLD along with patients from the control group showed that their intake differed from the recommended levels of consumption according to the healthy eating pyramid and protective dietary patterns for NAFLD with lower consumption of milk and dairy products (Me=0.8–1.1 vs 1.8–4.2 cups/day), legumes (Me=0.16–1.19 vs 1.5–7.5 cups/day), vegetable oils [Me=7.0 g/day in patients with NAFLD and Me=5.0 g/day in patients from the control group (p=0.04) vs 24.0–40.0 g/day], fish and seafood (Me=6.2–6.6 vs 6.3–17.6 ounces/week), vegetables (Me=1.9–2.0 vs 2.5–4.0 cups/day), nuts and seeds (Me=3.5 vs 4.5–11.1 ounces/day), excessive consumption of products from the «meat, poultry, eggs» group (Me=3.0–4.1 vs 0.4–3.6 ounces/day), and corresponded to these recommendations in terms of the consumption of fruit and cereals (at the expense of white bread and bakery products).

Conclusion. Patients with NAFLD need to change the structure of habitual nutrition, including through the introduction of foods for special dietary uses capable of replenishing the missing nutrients in their diet, which have a protective effect against NAFLD.

Keywords: nutrition assessment; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; hepatoprotective dietary pattern

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