Approved Research

Nutritional and lifestyle influences on the risk and outcome of different metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) subtypes

Lay summary

Fatty liver results primarily form unhealthy diet, and sedentary lifestyle in a genetic predisposing context. However, due to the heterogeneity of fatty liver disease, the results of lifestyle modifications for improving fatty liver are inconsistent. Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) establishes new criteria for diagnosing fatty liver disease independent of alcohol intake and concomitant viral hepatitis infection. As suggested, MAFLD which is different from the previous term non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is defined by its own set of inclusion criteria rather than exclusion criteria. Given the inclusion definition of MAFLD, we can further subclassify MAFLD into diabetic MAFLD, overweight/obese MAFLD and lean MAFLD. Different MAFLD subtypes may have special dietary and lifestyle risk factors. The effects of diet and lifestyle on outcomes of different MAFLD subtypes may also be varied. Thus, we plan to use the data from UK biobank to investigate the nutritional and lifestyle influences on the risks and outcomes of different MAFLD subtypes. This research will have important implications for the precise prevention and treatment of MAFLD.

Scope extension: Scientific Questions:

1) Whether the long-term outcomes of patients with diabetic MAFLD, overweight/obese MAFLD or lean MAFLD are different?

2) Is there some specific risk factors of nutrition or lifestyle on the incidence of different MAFLD subtypes?

3) How the nutritional and lifestyle factors will have effects on the MAFLD development or regression?

4) Whether nutritional/lifestyle factors are associated with outcomes of different MAFLD subtypes?

Aim:

1) Investigate the long-term outcomes including cancer incidence, cardiovascular events and mortality of patients with diabetic MAFLD, overweight/obese MAFLD or lean MAFLD.

2) Explore the association between nutritional/lifestyle factors and different MAFLD subtypes incidence.

3) Determine the nutritional and lifestyle factors which have significant effects on the MAFLD development or regression.

4) Explore the association between nutritional/lifestyle factors and outcomes of different MAFLD subtypes.

New scope (Extension):

Investigate the long-term outcomes of patients with NAFLD and the association of nutritional/lifestyle factors with NAFLD or chronic liver disease.