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Review
. 2019 Dec 5;11(12):2971.
doi: 10.3390/nu11122971.

Mediterranean Diet and NAFLD: What We Know and Questions That Still Need to Be Answered

Maria Corina Plaz Torres  1   2   3 , Alessio Aghemo  3   4 , Ana Lleo  3   4 , Giorgia Bodini  1   2   3 , Manuele Furnari  1 , Elisa Marabotto  1 , Luca Miele  5 , Edoardo G Giannini  1   2   6
Affiliations
Review

Mediterranean Diet and NAFLD: What We Know and Questions That Still Need to Be Answered

Maria Corina Plaz Torres et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome and is expected to become the leading cause of end-stage liver disease worldwide over the next few decades. In fact, NAFLD encompasses different clinical scenarios, from the simple accumulation of fat (steatosis) to steatohepatitis (NASH), NASH-cirrhosis, and cirrhosis complications. In this context, it is fundamental to pursue strategies aimed at both preventing the disease and reducing the progression of liver fibrosis once liver damage is already initiated. As of today, no pharmacological treatment has been approved for NAFLD/NASH, and the only recommended treatment of proven efficacy are life-style modifications, including diet and physical exercise pointing at weight loss of 5%-7%. Different dietetic approaches have been proposed in this setting, and in this review, we will discuss the evidence regarding the efficacy of the Mediterranean Diet as a treatment for NAFLD. In particular, we will report the effects on liver-related outcomes.

Keywords: chronic liver disease; diet; lifestyle intervention; nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; outcome.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mediterranean diet pyramid: this figure emphasizes the hierarchical composition of the Mediterranean diet, that is mainly based on the daily consumption of vegetables, fibers, nuts, fruits, dietary products, and olive oil.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Typical composition of a meal in a Mediterranean dietary pattern.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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