Improving Dietary Habits Can Reduce Liver Disease Risk by Up to 50%
Why in News?
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Improving Dietary Habits Can Reduce Liver Disease Risk by Up to 50%, The article highlights critical health warnings ahead of World Liver Day (April 19). With a rise in non-alcoholic liver diseases, experts are urging lifestyle and dietary changes as a preventive and healing measure. New studies reinforce the need for awareness and action, especially regarding processed food consumption and children’s diets.
Important Key Points:
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Link Between Diet and Liver Health:
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Healthy dietary changes can reduce liver disease risk by 50%.
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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rising due to poor diet, obesity, and lack of exercise.
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Liver diseases are now common in both urban and rural populations.
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Key Research Findings:
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Study in Frontiers in Nutrition (UK Biobank, 121,000 participants):
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High pro-inflammatory diets (measured by Dietary Inflammatory Index – DII) linked to a 16% higher risk of chronic liver disease (CLD).
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Anti-inflammatory diets like the Mediterranean diet are associated with lower CLD risk.
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Role of Diet in Reversing Liver Damage:
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Liver has the ability to regenerate.
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Diets rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins aid in liver recovery.
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Reducing processed foods, sugar-laden drinks, and junk food is essential.
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Expert Opinion:
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Dr. Sanjiv Saigal (President, Liver Transplantation Society of India) emphasized that liver damage is reversible with timely dietary changes.
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Encouraged reading food labels, avoiding processed foods, and focusing on home-cooked meals.
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Liver Disease in Children:
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Study in Nutrients links high fructose intake to Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in obese children.
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Urgent call to reduce added sugars in children’s diets to fight paediatric liver disease.
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