The role of diet and nutritional intervention for the management of patients with NAFLD

Abstract

During the last few decades, the prevalence of obesity, insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have dramatically increased. Nutrition and modern lifestyle habits are intimately involved in this epidemiological change. Although lifestyle intervention can theoretically revert the metabolic disturbances and prevent the long term complications of NAFLD, its efficacy is diminished in clinical practice by poor implementation and reduced adherence to lifestyle intervention programs. In this article we summarize the main elements of dietary interventions for NAFLD, describe practical strategies to optimize efficacy and review potential nutritional strategies under development that hopefully will improve outcomes in the future.

Keywords: Insulin resistance; Lifestyle intervention; Macronutrients; Mediterranean diet; Nonalcoholic fatty liver; Steatohepatitis; Weight loss.