The Study
A Dose–Response Study on the Relationship Between Red Meat Intake and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) in Southern Italy: Results from the Nutrihep Study
This study looked at what people ate and whether they had a fatty liver, but it didn't watch them over time. So we can't say eating red meat made their liver sick—it might just be that people with fatty livers eat more red meat for other reasons.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
This study looked at whether eating red meat affects liver fat in people from Southern Italy, and if men and women react differently.
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 544 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1The effects are small and only seen at high intake levels or with specific cooking methods—typical eating habits in this region don’t seem to raise liver fat risk.
- 2Most people ate about 44g of red meat per day (within healthy guidelines).
- 3For men, eating 75–90g/day might slightly raise liver fat risk.
- 4For women, no overall link was found—but meatballs and slices seemed protective, while roast meat seemed risky.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2026
Authors
Davide Guido, Manuela Siani, M. N. Pastore, G. Giannelli, G. De Pergola
Related Content
Claims (6)
People who eat meat have health outcomes that are neither worse nor better than those who eat less meat, after accounting for differences in income, education, and daily habits.
In adults from Southern Italy, eating more red meat does not consistently correlate with higher rates of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. The amount of red meat consumed alone does not reliably predict whether someone will develop this condition.
In men, consuming 75 to 90 grams of red meat per day is linked to an increased risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, while in women, the same level of consumption shows no consistent link to this condition.
In Southern Italy, people who eat about 44 grams of red meat per day do not have higher rates of MASLD compared to others.
Adult men in Southern Italy who eat 75 to 90 grams of red meat daily have a slightly higher rate of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease compared to those who eat less, but the risk does not steadily rise with more meat consumption.
Among women in Southern Italy, eating total red meat does not change the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, but how the meat is prepared matters: sliced and cutlet forms are linked to lower risk, while roasted meat is linked to higher risk.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.