Higher carbohydrate diet may worsen non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

(Conclusion)

A new study reveals that diets high in carbohydrates may worsen nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD is a potentially serious disease, usually found in patients who are morbidly obese. Doctors commonly recommend that people with NAFLD have a low-calorie, low-fat diet. In the new study the reviewed 74 morbidly obese patients who came in for bariatric surgery. The subjects were evaluated psychologically and were asked to fill out an evaluation of their food intake for the last 24 hours. they found that there were no significant associations between caloric or protein intake and NAFLD.

However, those who consumed high amounts of carbohydrates tended to have higher amounts of liver inflammation, and indication of NAFLD, while those who had higher amounts of fat intake had a lower chance of inflammation. More studies are needed to determine whether the dietary recommendations for NAFLD patients need to be reevaluated.