Research Article Details

Article ID: A09624
PMID: 31671589
Source: Nutrients
Title: Effects of Periodic Fasting on Fatty Liver Index-A Prospective Observational Study.
Abstract: This prospective observational trial investigated effects and safety of periodic fasting in subjects with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The primary end point was set as the change of fatty liver index (FLI) as a surrogate parameter of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Six-hundred and ninety-seven subjects (38 with T2DM) were enrolled. A baseline FLI &#8805; 60 (the threshold for fatty liver) was found in 264 subjects (37.9%). The mean duration of fasting was 8.5 &#177; 4.0 days (range 6-38). FLI decreased significantly (-14.02 &#177; 11.67; p < 0.0001), with a larger effect in individuals with T2DM (-19.15 &#177; 11.0; p < 0.0001; p = 0.002 compared to non-diabetic subjects). Body mass index (BMI) decreased by -1.51 &#177; 0.82 kg/m2, and 49.9% of the subjects lost &#8805;5% body weight. After fasting, nearly half of the 264 subjects with FLI &#8805; 60 (highest risk category) shifted to a lower category. The improvement of FLI correlated with the number of fasting days (r = -0.20, p < 0.0001) and with the magnitude of BMI reduction (r = 0.14, p = 0.0001). Periodic fasting with concomitant weight reduction leads to significant rapid improvement of FLI in subjects with and without T2DM.
DOI: 10.3390/nu11112601