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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2023 Aug 10;15(16):3520.
doi: 10.3390/nu15163520.

Lifestyle Modification: Evaluation of the Effects of Physical Activity and Low-Glycemic-Index Mediterranean Diet on Fibrosis Score

Ritanna Curci  1 , Antonella Bianco  1 , Isabella Franco  1 , Caterina Bonfiglio  1 , Angelo Campanella  1 , Antonella Mirizzi  2 , Vito Giannuzzi  3 , Raffaele Cozzolongo  3 , Nicola Veronese  4 , Alberto Ruben Osella  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Lifestyle Modification: Evaluation of the Effects of Physical Activity and Low-Glycemic-Index Mediterranean Diet on Fibrosis Score

Ritanna Curci et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Background: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is one the most prevalent causes of chronic liver disease worldwide. In the absence of an approved drug treatment, lifestyle modification is the first intervention strategy. This study aimed to estimate the main effect of two different physical activity (PA) programs, and a Low-Glycemic-Index Mediterranean Diet (LGIMD), or their combined effect on liver fibrosis parameters in subjects with NAFLD.

Methods: Subjects with moderate or severe NAFLD grade of severity (n = 144) were randomly assigned to six intervention arms for three months: LGIMD, PA programs, and their combination. Data were collected at baseline, 45 days, and 90 days. Transient elastography was performed to assess the outcome.

Results: at 90 days, a statistically significant reduction in kPa was found among subjects following LGMID (-2.85, 95% CI -5.24, -0.45) and those following an LGIMD plus PA1 (-2.37, 95% CI -4.39, -0.35) and LGIMD plus Pa2 (-2.21, 95% CI -4.10, -0.32). The contrast between time 2 and time 1 of the LGIMD plus PA2 treatment showed a statistically significant increase, and vice versa: the contrast between time 3 and time 2 of the same treatment showed a statistically significant reduction. The PA1 and PA2 arms also showed reduced kPa, although the results did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusions: The intervention arms, LGIMD, LGIMD+PA1, and LGIMD+PA2, reduced the fibrosis score.

Keywords: Mediterranean diet; chronic liver disease; lifestyle; liver fibrosis; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; physical activity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of study design.
Figure 2
Figure 2
GEE: Marginal Means by Follow-up Time and Intervention Arm. NUTRIATT Study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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