NAFLD Nutritional Management: Results from a Multidisciplinary Approach

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Metabolic Syndrome
• Lifestyle Medicine

Background:

• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent condition often managed with lifestyle changes.
• Assessing the impact of structured interventions on weight loss in NAFLD patients is crucial for improving outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary lifestyle intervention in achieving and maintaining weight loss in NAFLD patients.
• To compare the outcomes of a multidisciplinary treatment (MdT) group with a conventional treatment group.

Main Methods:

• A 12-month dietary intervention using a Mediterranean diet was implemented.
• Patients were categorized into a multidisciplinary treatment (MdT) group receiving structured plans and general recommendations, and a conventional treatment group receiving only general recommendations.

Main Results:

• After 12 months, 65% of patients lost weight, with 92.2% in the MdT group maintaining lower weight compared to baseline (p=0.008).
• The MdT group achieved an average weight loss of 4.2 kg, significantly more than the 0.6 kg in the conventional group (p=0.016).
• Only the MdT group showed significant improvements in liver enzymes at 12 months.

Conclusions:

• A multidisciplinary approach is more effective than conventional management for NAFLD patients, leading to greater weight loss.
• This approach helps in achieving sustained weight reduction and potentially mitigating weight regain recurrence in NAFLD management.