Korean J Med.  2017 Apr;92(2):112-117. 10.3904/kjm.2017.92.2.112.

Association between a High-fat Low-carbohydrate Diet and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Truth or Myth?

• Oh H
• Ahn J
• Jun DW

• KMID: 2382650
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjm.2017.92.2.112

Abstract

Reducing caloric intake is important for weight loss and obesity; a reduction of ~500-700 kcal/day has been recommended previously. However, only a minority of individuals can successfully sustain such a reduced caloric intake. Therefore, many specialized diet programs have been proposed. Until now, many experts have recommended low-fat diets in various countries, but very-low-carbohydrate diets have recently garnered attention in Korea. The various effects of changing the dietary compositions of macro- and micronutrients have been debated. The majority of large-scale studies have demonstrated that total caloric intake, rather than the composition of macronutrients or the consumption of a specialized diet, is important for successful weight loss. While many cross-sectional studies have investigated specialized diet programs for patients with non-alcoholic liver disease, no randomized controlled studies have been performed, except for some that investigated the effect of high consumption of unsaturated fatty acids as part of the Mediterranean diet.

Keyword

Carbohydrate; Fat; Diet; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Nutrition

MeSH Terms

Cross-Sectional Studies
Diet*
Diet, Fat-Restricted
Diet, Mediterranean
Energy Intake
Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
Humans
Korea
Liver Diseases
Micronutrients
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease*
Obesity
Weight Loss
Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
Micronutrients