Association Between Dietary Tea Consumption and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Review and...

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a significant global health concern linked with metabolic syndrome, affecting approximately 25% of the global population. It leads to severe liver complications and has limited effective pharmacological treatments. Tea, known for its bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and polyphenols, has been suggested to potentially mitigate NAFLD through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-lowering effects. This systematic review assessed the association between Dietary Tea Consumption and NAFLD.

We conducted a comprehensive search across PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, including all literature up to July 1, 2025. We included studies examining the impact of tea consumption on adults diagnosed with NAFLD. Data were synthesized using random-effects meta-analysis, with heterogeneity assessed by I² and Cochran's Q tests. Statistical analysis was performed in R software version 4.4.

Out of 5461 records screened, 15 studies that met the inclusion criteria comprising 1,398,936 participants. The pooled odds ratio (OR) for tea consumption associated with NAFLD risk was 0.782 (95% CI: 0.549-1.113), indicating a non-significant association. Significant heterogeneity (I² = 84%) was observed. However, hazard ratios (HR) for tea consumption showed a protective effect with a pooled HR of 0.855 (95% CI: 0.815-0.896), suggesting a beneficial association with reduced NAFLD risk. Cross-sectional studies also showed a protective effect (OR: 0.628; 95% CI: 0.420-0.939).

Tea consumption maybe associated with and reduced NAFLD. Further research is needed to clarify these findings and to establish evidence-based dietary recommendations for NAFLD management, considering the global prevalence and health burden of the disease.