Voluntary exercise fails to prevent metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease progression in male rats fed a high-fat high-cholesterol diet.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a major public health issue with a worldwide prevalence of 30%-32%. In animal models, voluntary exercise may be an alternative to forced physical activity, avoiding stress, potential injuries, and being logistically simpler. Here, we assessed voluntary exercise (Vex) in Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet for 18 weeks to induce MASLD.