To date, only limited evidence has supported the notion that resistance exercise positively impacts non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. We evaluated the effects of resistance exercise on the metabolic parameters of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in 53 patients who were assigned to either a group that performed push-ups and squats 3 times weekly for 12 weeks (exercise group; n=31) or a group that did not (control; n=22). Patients in the control group proceeded with regular physical activities under a restricted diet throughout the study. The effects of the exercise were compared between the 2 groups after 12 weeks. Fat-free mass and muscle mass significantly increased, whereas hepatic steatosis grade, mean insulin and ferritin levels, and the homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance index were significantly decreased in the exercise group. Compliance with the resistance exercise program did not significantly correlate with patient background characteristics such as age, sex, BMI and metabolic complications. These findings show that resistance exercise comprising squats and push-ups helps to improve the characteristics of metabolic syndrome in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Abstr Ac tBackground: Exercise therapy is effective and recommended for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) based on the efficacy of hepatic fat reduction. However, the efficacies of exercise therapy are based on shortterm intervention. Moreover, no reports have examined whether significant reductions in serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) are achieved with exercise therapy in patients with NAFLD. The aim of this study is to assess the effects of simple resistance exercise for 24 weeks in NAFLD.Methods: 59 patients with NAFLD were assigned to a resistance exercise group (n = 28) or a control group (n = 31). The resistance exercise group performed 2 exercises (push-ups and squats) 3 times a week on nonconsecutive days for a trial periods of 24 weeks. Patients in the control group proceeded with regular physical activities under a restricted diet throughout the study. The effects of exercise were compared between groups after 24 weeks.Results: Mean ALT level, homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance index and hepatic steatosis grade were all decreased in the resistance exercise group. Changes in ALT levels correlated negatively with changes in muscle:body weight ratio in the exercise group.Conclusion: These data demonstrate that 24 weeks of simple resistance exercise comprising squats and push-ups represents an effective treatment for NAFLD.

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