High quality carbohydrate intake comprising of solid carbs and whole grains can effectively reduce NAFLD risk: Study

A new study published in the journal of BMC Endocrine Disorders showed that a high-quality carbohydrate diet with increased intake of solid carbs, whole grains, and low-GI carbohydrates has been linked to a lower risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Regardless of viral infection or heavy alcohol use, the NAFLD spectrum encompasses fatty infiltration, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, and ultimately cirrhosis. The two primary risk factors for NAFLD are central obesity and type 2 diabetes. Sedentary behavior, hypertension (HTN), and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are identified as additional risk factors for the advancement of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Dietary variables might be viewed as a changeable protective or harmful factor in the development or incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, similar to other lifestyle factors.

Thereby, determining the contribution of nutrition to risk prediction may be aided by evaluating the function of nutrition at many levels and in various dimensions, such as dietary patterns, food types, and nutrients. Thus, Mitra Kazemi Jahromi and colleagues evaluated the relationship between the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Iranian people and the carbohydrate quality index (CQI).

A total of 450 controls, aged 20 to 60, and 225 newly diagnosed NAFLD patients participated in this case-control research. The CQI and its components (glycemic index, fiber intake, whole grains: total grains ratio, and solid carbohydrates: total carbs ratio) were computed using a meal frequency questionnaire. To calculate the odds ratio (OR) of NAFLD for each tertile of CQI and its constituent parts, multivariable logistic regression was employed.

The study found that the participants had a mean BMI of 26.8 ± 4.3 kg/m2 and an average age of 38.1 ± 8.8 years. The median (interquartile) CQI scores in the case and control groups were 20 (15-25) and 23 (18-28), respectively. In the multivariable-adjusted model, the risk of NAFLD dropped considerably across CQI tertiles. Furthermore, the risk of NAFLD reduced throughout tertiles of solid carbs to total carbohydrates ratio. However, having a high dietary glycemic index (GI) was related with an elevated risk of NAFLD. There was no significant link between various CQI components like fiber consumption and whole grain/total grains, and the incidence of NAFLD. Overall, the findings support that a diet with a high CQI score and decreased consumption of liquid carbohydrates along with elevated GI items, is related with a lower risk of NAFLD among Iranian adults.

Source:

Jahromi, M. K., Saber, N., Norouzzadeh, M., Daftari, G., Pourhabibi-Zarandi, F., Ahmadirad, H., Farhadnejad, H., Teymoori, F., Salehi-Sahlabadi, A., & Mirmiran, P. (2024). Carbohydrate quality index and risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Iranian adults. In BMC Endocrine Disorders (Vol. 24, Issue 1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12902-024-01609-1