Health experts already know that fast food can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease. Now, research has found that regular consumption of fast-food burgers, fries, pizza, and the like can also contribute to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a potentially life-threatening condition in which fat builds up in the liver.
Based on an analysis of health records from 4,000 adults whose fatty liver measurements were included in the most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (from 2017–18), scientists discovered that people with obesity or diabetes consume one-fifth or more of their daily calories from fast food have greatly increased fat levels in their liver compared to those who eat less or no fast food.
A diet that consisted of at least 20 percent fast food was also associated with a modest increase in liver fat in the general population.
Many people in the study ate fast food every day
“We were surprised at how damaging fast food can be to the liver, especially in people with diabetes or obesity,” said study lead author Ani Kardashian, MD, a hepatologist at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. “I think most people probably aren’t aware that eating fast food and eating an unhealthy diet can cause liver problems. Fatty liver is a major public health problem that can lead to cirrhosis [the development of scar tissue in the liver]liver failure and liver cancer.”
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), also known as hepatic steatosis, is a condition in which excess fat builds up in the liver; It is not related to alcohol consumption. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases estimates that about a quarter of US adults have NAFLD. The condition is more common in people who are obese or have type 2 diabetes.
More than half of those surveyed in this study consumed some fast food, and of those, 29 percent got a fifth or more of their daily calories from fast food. An increase in liver fat levels was observed only in the latter group.
Why are people with diabetes or obesity more prone to liver disease?
dr Kardashian explains that eating large amounts of saturated fat and processed sweeteners, the hallmark of fast food, predisposes the body to storing fat in the liver. This effect is amplified in people with insulin resistance, a hallmark of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, causing abnormal amounts of excess fat to build up in the liver.
“That’s probably why people with diabetes and obesity are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of fatty liver,” she says.
A rise in fast food catering is a cause for concern
The researchers called the results particularly alarming given that fast-food consumption has increased over the past 50 years regardless of socioeconomic status. They also noted that fast-food restaurants have surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the number of people with fatty liver may have increased even more since the time of the survey.
“I hope this study will encourage people to seek more nutritious, healthier eating options and provide information that clinicians can use to educate their patients, particularly those with underlying metabolic risk factors, about the importance of avoiding high-fat.” food advice. Carbs and processed sugars to protect her liver,” says Kardashian. “Policy-level public health efforts are needed to increase access to affordable, healthy, and nutritious food in the United States.”
The study authors added that future research should focus on how healthy dietary interventions for people with metabolic diseases can reverse or improve fatty liver.