(19-02-16) Strong and persistent effect on liver fat with a Paleolithic diet during a two-year intervention.

Otten J1, Mellberg C1, Ryberg M1, Sandberg S1, Kullberg J2, Lindahl B1, Larsson C3, Hauksson J4, Olsson T1.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES:
Our objective was to investigate changes in liver fat and insulin sensitivity during a 2-year diet intervention. An ad libitum Paleolithic diet was compared to a conventional, low-fat diet.
SUBJECTS/METHODS:
Seventy healthy, obese, postmenopausal women were randomized to either a Paleolithic diet or a conventional, low-fat diet. Diet intakes were ad libitum. Liver fat was measured with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Insulin sensitivity was evaluated with oral glucose tolerance tests and calculated as HOMA-IR/Liver IR index for hepatic insulin sensitivity and OGIS/Matsuda for peripheral insulin sensitivity. All measurements were performed at 0, 6, and 24 months. 41 women completed the examinations for liver fat and were included.
RESULTS:
Liver fat decreased after 6 months by 64% (95% CI: 54-74%) in the Paleolithic diet group and by 43% (27-59%) in the low-fat diet group (P<0.01 for difference between groups). After 24 months liver fat decreased 50% (25-75%) in the Paleolithic diet group and 49% (27-71%) in the low-fat diet group. Weight reduction between baseline and 6 months was correlated to liver fat improvement in the low-fat diet group (rs=0.66, P<0.01) but not in the Paleolithic diet group (rs=0.07, P=0.75). Hepatic insulin sensitivity improved during the first 6 months in the Paleolithic diet group (P<0.001 for Liver IR index and HOMA-IR), but deteriorated between 6 and 24 months without association to liver fat changes.
CONCLUSIONS:
A Paleolithic diet with ad libitum intake had a significant and persistent effect on liver fat and differed significantly from a conventional low-fat diet at six months. This difference may be due to food quality, e.g. a higher content of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the Paleolithic diet. Changes in liver fat did not associate to alterations in insulin sensitivity.International Journal of Obesity accepted article preview online, 20 January 2016. doi:10.1038/ijo.2016.4.

Source: Int J Obes (Lond). 2016 Jan 20. doi: 10.1038/ijo.2016.4. [Epub ahead of print]

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