Association of five diet scores with severe NAFLD incidence: a prospective study from UK Biobank

Petermann-Rocha, F. et al. (2023) Association of five diet scores with severe NAFLD incidence: a prospective study from UK Biobank. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, (doi: 10.1111/dom.15378) (PMID:37997550) (Early Online Publication)

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to contrast the associations of five common diet scores with severe non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) incidence. Materials and Methods: In total, 162 999 UK Biobank participants were included in this prospective population-based study. Five international diet scores were included: the 14-Item Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS-14), the Recommended Food Score (RFS), the Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI), the Mediterranean Diet Score and the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay score. As each score has different measurements and scales, all scores were standardized and categorized into quartiles. Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for confounder factors investigated associations between the standardized quartiles and severe NAFLD incidence. Results: Over a median follow-up of 10.2 years, 1370 participants were diagnosed with severe NAFLD. When the analyses were fully adjusted, participants in quartile 4 using the MEDAS-14 and RFS scores, as well as those in quartiles 2 and 3 using the HDI score, had a significantly lower risk of severe incident NAFLD compared with those in quartile 1. The lowest risk was observed in quartile 4 for the MEDAS-14 score [hazard ratio (HR): 0.76 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.62-0.94)] and the RFS score [HR: 0.82 (95% CI: 0.69-0.96)] and as well as in quartile 2 in the HDI score [HR: 0.80 (95% CI: 0.70-0.91)]. Conclusion: MEDAS-14, RFS and HDI scores were the strongest diet score predictors of severe NAFLD. A healthy diet might protect against NAFLD development irrespective of the specific approach used to assess diet. However, following these score recommendations could represent optimal dietary approaches to mitigate NAFLD risk.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: The UK Biobank study was established by the Wellcome Trust medical charity, Medical Research Council, Department of Health, Scottish Government and the Northwest Regional Development Agency. It has also had funding from the Welsh Assembly Government and the British Heart Foundation. Katherine M. Livingstone is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Emerging Leadership Fellowship (APP1173803). JB receives financial support from the Royal Thai Government Scholarship for her PhD. Solange Parra-Soto receives financial support from the Chilean Government for doing their PhD (ANID-Becas Chile).
• Status: Early Online Publication
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Celis, Dr Carlos and Phillips, Nathan and Ho, Dr Frederick and Forrest, Dr Ewan and Jain, Miss Mahek and Pell, Professor Jill and Livingstone, Miss Katherine and Petermann-Rocha, Mrs Fanny and Parra, Solange and Boonpor, Jirapitcha and Deo, Salil and Carrasco Marín, Mrs Fernanda
• Authors: Petermann-Rocha, F., Carrasco-Marín, F., Boonpor, J., Parra-Soto, S., Shannon, O., Malcomson, F., Phillips, N., Jain, M., Deo, S., Livingstone, K. M., Dingle, S. E., Mathers, J. C., Forrest, E., Ho, F. K., Pell, J. P., and Celis-Morales, C.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Public Health; College of Science and Engineering > Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre
• Journal Name: Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 1462-8902
• ISSN (Online): 1463-1326
• Published Online: 23 November 2023
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism 2023
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License