Role of diet and lifestyle changes in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become one of the most common causes of liver disease worldwide and has been recognized as a major health burden. The prevalence of NAFLD has grown proportionally with the rise in obesity, sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy dietary pattern, and metabolic syndrome. Currently, there is no drug therapy that can be formulated for treating NAFLD. A combination of dietary modifications and increased physical activity remains the mainstay of NAFLD management. It is hard to maintain this mode of management; however, it seems to have significant long-term benefits. Furthermore, NAFLD patients, whether obese or not, should be educated that a healthy diet and physical activity have benefits beyond weight reduction. Further large controlled randomized trials are needed in order to identify the best dietary regimen and physical activity in the management of NAFLD patients. This review highlights the role of diet and lifestyle modifications in the management of NAFLD, and focuses on human studies regarding dietary modifications and physical activity.