Lifestyle Modification: Evaluation of the Effects of Physical Activity and Low-Glycemic-Index Mediterranean Diet on Fibrosis Score.

Background: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is one the most prevalent causes of chronic liver disease worldwide. In the absence of an approved drug treatment, lifestyle modification is the first intervention strategy. This study aimed to estimate the main effect of two different physical activity (PA) programs, and a Low-Glycemic-Index Mediterranean Diet (LGIMD), or their combined effect on liver fibrosis parameters in subjects with NAFLD.

Modified WCRF/AICR Score and All-Cause, Digestive System, Cardiovascular, Cancer and Other-Cause-Related Mortality: A Competing Risk Analysis of Two Cohort Studies Conducted in Southern Italy.

Background: In real life, nutrition goes beyond purely biological domains. Primary prevention is the most efficient approach for reducing the risk of mortality. We aimed to study the association of lifestyle, as measured by a modified World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (mWCRF/AICR) scoring system with all-cause, digestive system disease-related (DSD-related), cardiovascular disease-related (CVD-related), cancer-related and other cause-related mortality using data from two population-based cohort studies conducted in Southern Italy.

Development and validation of a neural network for NAFLD diagnosis.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) affects about 20-30% of the adult population in developed countries and is an increasingly important cause of hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver ultrasound (US) is widely used as a noninvasive method to diagnose NAFLD. However, the intensive use of US is not cost-effective and increases the burden on the healthcare system.

Effects of weight change on all causes, digestive system and other causes mortality in Southern Italy: a competing risk approach.

Weight change is associated with all causes of death, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality and a heterogeneous group of other causes of death. We aimed to estimate the effect of weight change on all causes and cause-specific mortality in a cohort with a high prevalence of deaths due to diseases of the digestive system.MethodsIn this prospective cohort study, 2230 subjects aged 30 to 50 years were examined.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Focus on New Biomarkers and Lifestyle Interventions.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, characterized from pathological changes in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. Its main characteristics are excessive lipid accumulation and oxidative stress, which create a lipotoxic environment in hepatocytes leading to liver injury. Recently, many studies have focused on the identification of the genetic and epigenetic modifications that also contribute to NAFLD pathogenesis and their prognostic implications.

Decreased levels of physical activity: results from a cross-sectional study in southern Italy during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Italian government took security measures to try to limit infections. Restrictive measures included social distancing, home confinement and the closure of all public structures like gyms and swimming pools. The impact of these limitations on health and lifestyle was inevitably negative.

Physical Activity and Low Glycemic Index Mediterranean Diet: Main and Modification Effects on NAFLD Score. Results from a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide, and lifestyle modification is the current standard treatment. The aim of the study was to estimate the effect of two different physical activity (PA) programs, a Low Glycemic Index Mediterranean Diet (LGIMD), and their combined effect on the NAFLD score as measured by FibroScan.

Methods: Moderate or severe NAFLD subjects ( = 144) were randomly assigned to six intervention arms during three months.

The effect of the Mediterranean Diet on lifespan: a treatment-effect survival analysis of a population-based prospective cohort study in Southern Italy.

Background: The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is associated with good health. We aimed to estimate the effect of levels of adherence to the MedDiet on lifespan by performing treatment effects survival analysis.

Methods: A sample of 5250 subjects aged ≥18 years were randomly selected from the electoral list of Castellana Grotte and Putignano (Apulian Region, Italy).

Selecting the best machine learning algorithm to support the diagnosis of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A meta learner study.

Background & Aims: Liver ultrasound scan (US) use in diagnosing Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) causes costs and waiting lists overloads. We aimed to compare various Machine learning algorithms with a Meta learner approach to find the best of these as a predictor of NAFLD.

Methods: The study included 2970 subjects, 2920 constituting the training set and 50, randomly selected, used in the test phase, performing cross-validation.

Remnant cholesterol as a risk factor for cardiovascular, cancer or other causes mortality: A competing risks analysis.

Background And Aims: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDis) are leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Even after the introduction of pharmacological therapy to lower Cholesterol, there is still a residual risk that may be ascribed to remnant cholesterol (RC). We aimed, by analyzing two prospective cohort studies, to estimate the effect of RC on risk and hazard of cardiovascular deaths (CVDs), while accounting for competing risks such as cancer (CDs) and other-causes deaths (OCDs).

The Effect of Three Mediterranean Diets on Remnant Cholesterol and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Secondary Analysis.

Background: Elevated fasting remnant cholesterol (REM-C) levels have been associated with an increased cardiovascular risk in patients with metabolic syndrome (Mets) and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). We aimed to estimate the effect of different diets on REM-C levels in patients with MetS, as well as the association between NAFLD and REM-C.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the MEDIDIET study, a parallel-arm Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT).

Effects of Some Food Components on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Severity: Results from a Cross-Sectional Study.

The high prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) observed in Western countries is due to the concurrent epidemics of overweight/obesity and associated metabolic complications, both recognized risk factors. A Western dietary pattern has been associated with weight gain and obesity, and more recently with NAFLD. This is a baseline cross-sectional analysis of 136 subjects (79 males) enrolled consecutively in the NUTRIATT (NUTRItion and Ac-TiviTy) study.

Effectiveness of two physical activity programs on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Introduction: To estimate the effectiveness of two physical activity programs on NAFLD.

Methods: Participants come from a survey conducted in southern Italy. Subjects with moderate or severe NAFLD were invited to participate.

Reducing NAFLD-screening time: A comparative study of eight diagnostic methods offering an alternative to ultrasound scans.

Background & Aims: The use of ultrasound scan (US) in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) screening overloads US waiting lists. We hypothesized and tested a hybrid two-step method, consisting of applying a formula, to exclude subjects at low risk, before US.

Methods: The sample included 2970 males and females (937 with NAFLD) diagnosed by US.

Aerobic Physical Activity and a Low Glycemic Diet Reduce the AA/EPA Ratio in Red Blood Cell Membranes of Patients with NAFLD.

Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs), through the eicosanoids derived from arachidonic acid (AA), are able to modulate the inflammatory processes, whereas omega-3 PUFAs, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), exert anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. An unbalanced AA/EPA ratio in favor of AA leads to the development of different metabolic disorders, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of different diets, alone and in combination with two physical activity programs, on the AA/EPA ratio value in erythrocyte membranes of patients with NAFLD.

Significant decrease of saturation index in erythrocytes membrane from subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Background: The lipidomic profiling of erythrocyte membranes is expected to provide a peculiar scenario at molecular level of metabolic and nutritional pathways which may influence the lipid balance and the adaptation and homeostasis of the organism. Considering that lipid accumulation in the cell is important in promoting tissue inflammation, the purpose of this study is to analyze the fatty acid profile in red blood cell membranes of patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), in order to identify and validate membrane profiles possibly associated with the degree of hepatic damage.

Methods: This work presents data obtained at baseline from 101 subjects that participated to a nutritional trial (registration number: NCT02347696) enrolling consecutive subjects with NAFLD.