Properzi C, O'Sullivan T, et al. 2018

29729189

Ad Libitum Mediterranean and Low-Fat Diets Both Significantly Reduce Hepatic Steatosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Properzi C, O'Sullivan T, Sherriff J, Ching H, Jeffrey G, Buckley R, Tibballs J, MacQuillan G, Garas G, Adams L

Hepatology (Baltimore, MD)

2018

68

5

1741-1754

Randomized Controlled Trial

Some concerns

Diagnosis of NAFLD, with HS quantified as >5.5% as determined by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS); average alcohol consumption of <20 g/day or 140 g/week for females or <30 g/day or 210 g/week for males.

Secondary causes of NAFLD (e.g., medication induced); unstable body weight (variation >5% within the preceding 3-months period); current use of weight loss medications (e.g., Orlistat); current use of pioglitazone; other liver disease (viral hepatitis, autoimmune or cholestatic liver disease, Wilson’s disease, hemochromatosis, or alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency); unstable diabetes (HbA1c >8.5%); decompensated cirrhosis (international normalized ratio >1.3, platelets 20 mmol/L, albumin <35 g/L, ascites, or hepatic encephalopathy); renal failure; malignancy (aside from skin cancer); inability to provide informed consent; claustrophobia preventing MRS examination; current smoking; atrial fibrillation preventing SphygmoCor assessment; pregnancy or lactation.

To guide optimal nutritional treatment for NAFLD and examine the efficacy of focusing upon altering nutrient profiles without body weight loss.

Australia

Government, Industry

The author received an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. Cobram Estate Olive Oil donated a portion of the olive oil supplied on the Mediterranean intervention.