The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing worldwide. NAFLD management is mainly focused on weight loss, but the optimal characteristics of the diet demand further investigation. This study aims to evaluate the effects of two personalized energy-restricted diets on the liver status in overweight or obese subjects with NAFLD after a 6 months follow-up. Ninety-eight individuals from the Fatty Liver in Obesity (FLiO) study were randomized into two groups and followed different energy-restricted diets. Subjects were evaluated at baseline and after 6 months. Diet, anthropometry, body composition, and biochemical parameters were evaluated. Liver assessment included ultrasonography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, elastography, and determination of transaminases. Both dietary groups significantly improved their metabolic and hepatic markers after the intervention, with no significant differences between them. Multivariate regression models evidenced a relationship between weight loss, adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet), and a decrease in liver fat content, predicting up to 40.9% of its variability after 6 months. Moreover, the antioxidant capacity of the diet was inversely associated with liver fat content. Participants in the group with a higher adherence to the MedDiet showed a greater reduction in body weight, total fat mass, and hepatic fat. These results support the benefit of energy-restricted diets, high adherence to the MedDiet, and high antioxidant capacity of the diet for the management of NAFLD in individuals with overweight or obesity.

Background and objectives Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) management is focused on lifestyle modifications, but long‐term maintenance is a challenge for many individuals. This study aimed to evaluate the long‐term effects of two personalized energy‐restricted dietary strategies on weight loss, metabolic and hepatic outcomes in overweight/obese subjects with NAFLD. Methods Ninety‐eight subjects from the Fatty Liver in Obesity (FLiO) study (NCT03183193) were randomly assigned to the American Heart Association (AHA) or the FLiO dietary group in a 2‐year controlled trial. Anthropometry, body composition (DXA), biochemical parameters and hepatic status (ultrasonography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and elastography) were assessed at baseline, 6, 12 and 24 months. Results Both the AHA and FLiO diets significantly reduced body weight at 6 (−9.7% vs −10.1%), 12 (−6.7% vs −9.6%), and 24 months (−4.8% vs −7.6%) with significant improvements in body composition, biochemical and liver determinations throughout the intervention. At the end of the follow‐up, the FLiO group showed a greater decrease in ALT, liver stiffness and Fatty Liver Index, among others, compared to AHA group, although these differences were attenuated when the analyses were adjusted by weight loss percentage. The FLiO group also showed a greater increase in adiponectin compared to AHA group. Conclusions The AHA and FLiO diets were able to improve body weight and body composition, as well as metabolic and hepatic status of participants with overweight/obesity and NAFLD within a 2‐year follow‐up. These findings show that both strategies are suitable alternatives for NAFLD management. However, the FLiO strategy may provide more persistent benefits in metabolic and hepatic parameters.

Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may progress to steatohepatitis, cirrhosis and complicated hepatocellular carcinoma with defined differential symptoms and manifestations.Objective: To evaluate the fatty liver status by several validated approaches and to compare imaging techniques, lipidomic and routine blood markers with magnetic resonance imaging in adults subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.Materials and methods: A total of 127 overweight/obese with NAFLD, were parallelly assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), ultrasonography, transient elastography and a validated metabolomic designed test to diagnose NAFLD in this cross-sectional study. Body composition (DXA), hepatic related biochemical measurements as well as the Fatty Liver Index (FLI) were evaluated. This study was registered as FLiO: Fatty Liver in Obesity study; NCT03183193.Results: The subjects with more severe liver disease were found to have worse metabolic parameters. Positive associations between MRI with inflammatory and insulin biomarkers were found. A linear regression model including ALT, RBP4 and HOMA-IR was able to explain 40.9% of the variability in fat content by MRI. In ROC analyses a combination panel formed of ALT, HOMA-IR and RBP4 followed by ultrasonography, ALT and metabolomic test showed the major predictive ability (77.3%, 74.6%, 74.3% and 71.1%, respectively) for liver fat content.Conclusions: A panel combination including routine blood markers linked to insulin resistance showed highest associations with MRI considered as a gold standard for determining liver fat content. This combination of tests can facilitate the diagnosis of early stages of non-alcoholic liver disease thereby avoiding other invasive and expensive methods.