Should we stop consuming animal protein-rich diet?

New Delhi: A new study has linked a diet high in animal protein with a higher risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition in which fat builds up in the liver.

These findings from The Rotterdam Study, presented at The International Liver Congress 2017 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, also showed that fructose consumption per se might not be as harmful as previously assumed.

NAFLD is a major health concern, because it can lead to permanent scarring (cirrhosis) and subsequently to cancer and malfunction of the liver.

This may result in life-threatening complications for which a liver transplant is needed.Additionally, NAFLD also contributes to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases such as diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis.

NAFLD is diagnosed when accumulation of fat in the organ exceeds 5 percent of hepatocytes (the cells that make up the majority of the liver).

It is estimated that approximately 1 billion people worldwide may have NAFLD with a prevalence of 20-30 percent in Western countries.

It parallels one of world`s most rapidly growing health concerns, obesity, which is also one of the most important risk factors in NAFLD.

In its early stages NAFLD can be treated through diet and lifestyle changes, such as weight loss, but it can progress to more serious liver diseases.

However, there is still a lot of debate whether weight loss alone is enough to reverse NAFLD, while emerging evidence suggests that the composition of the diet, rather than the amount of calories consumed, might also be important in NAFLD.

"A healthy lifestyle is the cornerstone of treatment in patients with NAFLD, but specific dietary recommendations are lacking," said lead author Louise Alferink.

"The results from this study demonstrate that animal protein is associated with NAFLD in overweight elderly people.

This is in line with a recently proposed hypothesis that a Western-style diet, rich in animal proteins and refined food items, may cause low-grade disturbances to the body homeostasis, glucose metabolism and acid based balance.

Another interesting finding is that, although current guidelines advise against foods containing fructose, such as soda and sugar, our results do not indicate a harmful association of mono- and disaccharides with NAFLD per se.

(With ANI inputs)