Too much calories bad for liver

Consuming high amounts of calories contributes to an increase in the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), while the diet composition in terms of macronutrients does not seem to be related to the presence or severity of the disease, according to the results of a meta-analysis.

Researchers searched multiple online databases for studies that assessed diet and anthropometry based on validated tools and performed by a qualified dietitian or a trained health professional. They examined the differences in diet between NAFLD patients and healthy controls, as well as between patients with NAFLD and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

The search yielded 60 studies that involved 100,621 participants in total. The risk of bias, assessed using the Robin-I tool, was moderate for the majority of studies (n=41, 68 percent).

Pooled data revealed that total caloric intake was much higher in the NAFLD group than in the control group (mean difference, 78.08, 95 percent confidence interval, 41.03–115.13). However, consumption of macronutrients (eg, protein, fat, and carbohydrate) as proportion of total caloric intake, as well as daily intake of fibre and vitamins E, A, and C were generally similar between the NAFLD and control groups.

Of note, soft drink consumption showed a trend toward an association with the presence of NAFLD (odds ratio, 4.4), although the confidence intervals were very wide.

Meanwhile, in the NAFLD and NASH groups, no significant difference in any comparison emerged. However, the number of patients was relatively small.

All meta-analyses had significant heterogeneity.