Fast food consumption raises the risk of liver disease, according to a study.

 

Burgers from fast food restaurants and other foods high in saturated fat increase the body's propensity to retain water.

The risk of possibly fatal liver damage from a daily diet containing at least 20% fast food is highest in people with diabetes or obesity.

Health experts claim that eating fast food increases the chance of developing type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. Fast food favourites like burgers, fries, pizza, and the like are now known to contribute to the onset of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition in which fat builds up in the liver and can be fatal.

Based on an analysis of health information from 4,000 adults whose fatty liver measurements were included in the most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, scientists discovered that people with obesity or diabetes who consume one-fifth or more of their daily calories from fast food have significantly elevated levels of liver fat compared to those who eat less or no fast food (from 2017–18).

Additionally, individuals who got at least 20% of their nutrition from fast food saw modest increases in liver fat.

Many Participants In The Study Consumed Fast Food Daily

A significant public health issue, fatty liver can result in liver failure, cancer, and cirrhosis, which is the formation of scar tissue in the liver.

Ani Kardashian, MD, a hepatologist at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine, is the study's lead author and adds, "We were astonished to see how detrimental fast food can be to the liver, especially among those who had diabetes or obesity." "I believe that the majority of individuals are probably unaware that consuming fast food and following a poor diet can result in liver problems. A significant public health issue, fatty liver can result in liver failure, cancer, and cirrhosis, which is the formation of scar tissue in the liver.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), commonly referred to as liver steatosis, is a disorder that causes extra fat to accumulate in the liver without being caused by alcohol consumption. The National Institute of Diabetes and Approximately one-fourth of persons in the United States, according to the Digestive and Kidney Diseases, have NAFLD. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are associated with a higher prevalence of the disorder.

More than half of those polled in this study reported eating fast food occasionally, and of those, 29% reported getting at least one-fifth of their daily calories from it. Only in the latter group did liver fat levels increase.

Why Are People More Prone to Liver Disease If They Have Diabetes or Obesity?

Dr. Kardashian claims that consuming a lot of the processed carbohydrates and saturated fats found in fast food predisposes the body to storing fat in the liver. This effect is made worse by insulin resistance, a characteristic of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes that causes abnormally high levels of excess fat accumulation in the liver.

The author asserts that this explains why people with diabetes and obesity are more susceptible to the negative effects of fatty liver.

Concerns Are Raised By A Rise In Fast Food Consumption

The researchers called the results particularly alarming given that fast food consumption has increased over the previous 50 years, irrespective of socioeconomic background. The number of people with fatty livers may have increased even more after the poll was done, they further noted, as fast food consumption rose during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Patients with underlying metabolic risk factors should be counselled to avoid diets high in fat, carbs, and processed sweets in order to protect their livers, claims Kardashian. She believes that by exposing individuals to this study, they would be inspired to look for more nutrient-dense, healthier food options. To increase access to fairly priced, healthy, and nutrient-dense food options, public health measures are needed at the policy level.

According to the study's authors, future research should focus on how healthy food therapy for those with metabolic disorders may improve or reverse fatty liver.