The Study
MRI estimated changes in visceral adipose tissue and liver fat fraction in patients with obesity during a very low-calorie-ketogenic diet compared to a standard low-calorie diet.
This study compared two diets in people trying to lose weight and found that one diet made their belly fat and liver fat go down more than the other. But it doesn't prove the diet caused these changes for sure—other things could have helped too.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Two groups of obese people tried different diets for two months—one ate very few carbs (keto), the other ate fewer calories normally. Doctors used MRI scans to see what changed inside their bodies.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 561 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — losing nearly 10 kg and cutting liver fat nearly 6 times more than the other group is a big difference for health, especially for fatty liver disease.
- 2Keto group lost 9.7 kg on average and cut belly fat by 39.3 cm² and liver fat by 4.77%.
- 3Normal low-calorie group lost 1.67 kg, cut belly fat by 12.5 cm², and liver fat by 0.79%.
- 4Liver stiffness didn't change in either group.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Clinical radiology
Year
2020
Authors
G. Cunha, L. L. Correa de Mello, K. Hasenstab, L. Spina, I. Bussade, J. M. Prata Mesiano, W. Coutinho, G. Guzmán, I. Sajoux
Related Content
Claims (5)
When people eat the same number of calories, a diet low in carbohydrates leads to a larger decrease in visceral fat than a diet high in carbohydrates.
In obese adults, a very-low-calorie ketogenic diet reduces liver fat by 4.77% over two months, while a standard low-calorie diet reduces liver fat by only 0.79%.
In obese adults, a very-low-calorie ketogenic diet reduced belly fat by 39.3 cm² on average over two months, which was more than the 12.5 cm² reduction seen with a standard low-calorie diet.
In obese adults, two types of low-calorie diets—ketogenic and standard—did not change liver stiffness after two months.
Obese adults who followed a very-low-calorie ketogenic diet for two months lost an average of 9.7 kilograms, while those who followed a standard low-calorie diet lost an average of 1.67 kilograms.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.