The Study
The beneficial effects of Mediterranean diet over low-fat diet may be mediated by decreasing hepatic fat content.
This study compared two diets in people with extra belly fat and found that one diet lowered liver fat more than the other. It also found that when liver fat went down, other health markers improved. But it doesn't prove the diet directly caused those improvements — it just shows they happened together.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
This study tested two diets: one low-fat and one Mediterranean-style with lots of walnuts and fewer carbs. It found the walnut-carb-restricted diet did a better job at shrinking fat in the liver.
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 552 / 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 — reducing liver fat is linked to better blood sugar, liver health, and reduced inflammation, even if you don’t lose belly fat.
- 2Liver fat dropped by 41% after 6 months and 29% after 18 months on the Mediterranean/low-carb diet with walnuts.
- 3This was better than the low-fat diet.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of hepatology
Year
2019
Authors
Y. Gepner, I. Shelef, O. Komy, Noa Cohen, D. Schwarzfuchs, Nitzan Bril, Michal Rein, Dana Serfaty, Shira Kenigsbuch, H. Zelicha, A. Yaskolka Meir, L. Tene, Avital Bilitzky, G. Tsaban, Yoash Chassidim, Benjamin Sarusy, U. Ceglarek, J. Thiery, M. Stumvoll, M. Blüher, M. Stampfer, A. Rudich, I. Shai
Related Content
Claims (4)
Reducing dietary carbohydrates lowers insulin levels, which allows fat breakdown to increase and enhances the liver's ability to use fat for energy.
In adults with abdominal obesity and dyslipidemia, a decrease in liver fat is associated with measurable improvements in blood markers of liver function, inflammation, and blood sugar control, regardless of how much visceral fat is lost.
When people follow a Mediterranean or low-carbohydrate diet instead of a low-fat diet, the improvement in heart and metabolic health markers is largely explained by a reduction in liver fat.
In adults with abdominal obesity and high blood fats, eating a Mediterranean or low-carbohydrate diet with daily walnuts reduces liver fat by 41% after six months and 29% after 18 months more than a low-fat diet, and this reduction occurs alongside better liver and blood sugar markers.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.