The Effect of a High-fat vs. High-sugar Diet on Liver Fat Accumulation and Metabolism

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: NAFLD; Fat; Liver
• Interventions: Other: High-fat, low-carbohydrate; Other: Low-fat, high-carbohydrate

• Registration Number: NCT03145350
• Lead Sponsor: University of Oxford

Brief Summary

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent liver disease in the world. It is currently unclear why fat starts to accumulate in the liver, although both the amount and type of food consumed have been implicated. The majority of studies that have investigated the effects of dietary fat or sugar on liver fat have fed volunteers excess calories, which are known to increase liver fat. The effect of specific dietary components, when consumed as part of a diet not containing excess calories, on liver fat accumulation remains unclear.

Detailed Description

This research aims to investigate the role excessive consumption of specific macronutrients may play in the development of NAFLD. This will be achieved by subjecting participants to two specific dietary interventions (high-fat, low-carbohydrate and low-fat, high-carbohydrate) in a randomized, crossover research design. Liver fat content, and whole-body and hepatic fasting and postprandial lipid metabolism will be assessed before and after the specific dietary interventions.

Basic Information
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Recruitment & Eligibility
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Study & Design
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Trial Locations

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2016-12
• Study First Submitted: 2017-01-09
• Study First Submitted QC: 2017-05-04
• Study First Posted: 2017-05-09
• Status Verified: 2018-05
• Primary Completion: 2019-12
• Study Completion: 2020-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2020-03-26
• Last Update Posted: 2020-03-27

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 16

Inclusion Criteria

• Participant is willing and able to give informed consent for participation in the study.
• BMI >25 <35kg/m2
• No medical condition or relevant drug therapy known to affect liver, lipid or glucose metabolism

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Exclusion Criteria

• Age <30 or >65 years
• Body mass index <25 or >35kg/m2
• A blood haemoglobin <120mg/dL
• Any metabolic condition or relevant drug therapy
• People who do not tolerate fructose
• Smoking
• History of alcoholism or a greater than recommended alcohol intake
• Pregnant or nursing mothers
• Women prescribed any contraceptive agent or device including oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or who have used these within the last 12 months
• History of severe claustrophobia
• Presence of metallic implants, pacemaker
• Haemorrhagic disorders
• Anticoagulant treatment

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
High-fat, low-carbohydrate diet	High-fat, low-carbohydrate	Dietary intervention: Participants will consume a diet that is rich in saturated fat (20% total energy) and low in free sugars for 4 weeks. This diet will include commonly eaten foods such as butter, cheese, and fatty meat products. Total fat intake in this intervention will be 40-45% total energy.
Low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet	Low-fat, high-carbohydrate	Dietary intervention: Participants will consume a diet that is low in saturated fat (\~5% total energy) and rich in free sugars (20% total energy).The diet will include commonly eaten food and drink such as sugar sweetened beverages, confectionery (e.g. fruit gums) and table sugar.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in liver fat content	Before, and within 7 days after completion of each dietary intervention	Investigators will measure the change in liver fat content after each of the 4 week intervention diets by magnetic resonance imaging/spectroscopy (MRI/S).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in hepatic fatty acid partitioning	Within 7 days after completion of each dietary intervention	Investigators will utilise stable isotope tracer methodology to measure the contribution of newly synthesised fatty acids and dietary fatty acids to triglyceride production and oxidation pathways in the liver after each of the 4 week intervention diets.
Change in plasma metabolite concentrations	Before, and within 7 days after completion of each dietary intervention.	Circulating concentrations of glucose, insulin, non-esterified fatty acids, and triglycerides will be measured biochemically using a clinical analyser after each of the 4 week intervention diets.
Change in whole-body fatty acid oxidation	Within 7 days after completion of each dietary intervention	Investigators will utilise stable isotope tracer methodology to measure whole-body dietary fatty acid oxidation after each of the 4 week intervention diets.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism; 🇬🇧 Oxford, United Kingdom