Beyond the Paradigm of Weight Loss in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: From Pathophysiology to Novel Dietary Approaches

Abstract

Current treatment recommendations for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) rely heavily on lifestyle interventions. The Mediterranean diet and physical activity, aiming at weight loss, have shown good results in achieving an improvement of this liver disease. However, concerns related to compliance and food accessibility limit the feasibility of this approach, and data on the long-term effects on liver-related outcomes are lacking. Insulin resistance is a central aspect in the pathophysiology of NAFLD; therefore, interventions aiming at the improvement of insulin sensitivity may be preferable. In this literature review, we provide a comprehensive summary of the available evidence on nutritional approaches in the management of NAFLD, involving low-calorie diets, isocaloric diets, and the novel schemes of intermittent fasting. In addition, we explore the harmful role of single nutrients on liver-specific key metabolic pathways, the role of gene susceptibility and microbiota, and behavioral aspects that may impact liver disease and are often underreported in clinical setting. At present, the high variability in terms of study populations and liver-specific outcomes within nutritional studies limits the generalizability of the results and highlights the urgent need of a tailored and standardized approach, as seen in regulatory trials in Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH).