Editorial
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 14, 2024; 30(22): 2829-2833
Published online Jun 14, 2024. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i22.2829
Management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: Lifestyle changes
Hao Lv, Yang Liu
Hao Lv, Yang Liu, Department of General Surgery, Xi'an Jiaotong University Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an 710004, Shaanxi Province, China
Author contributions: Liu Y and Lv H contributed to this paper; Liu Y designed the overall concept and outline of the manuscript; Lv H contributed to the discussion and design of the manuscript; Liu Y and Lv H contributed to the writing, and editing of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Yang Liu, MD, Academic Editor, Associate Professor, Doctor, Surgeon, Department of General Surgery, Xi'an Jiaotong University Second Affiliated Hospital, No. 157 Xiwulu, Xi'an 710004, Shaanxi Province, China. liu-yang@xjtu.edu.cn
Received: March 6, 2024
Revised: April 29, 2024
Accepted: May 20, 2024
Published online: June 14, 2024
Processing time: 91 Days and 20.6 Hours
Abstract

In this editorial, we commented on a recently released manuscript by Zeng et al in the World Journal of Gastroenterology. We focused specifically on lifestyle changes in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD is a hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome, which ultimately leads to advanced hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma and affects more than 25% of the population globally. Existing therapeutic strategies against NAFLD such as pharmacologic therapies focus on liver protection, anti-inflammation, and regulating disease-related metabolic disorder symptoms. Although several drugs are in late-stage development, potent drugs against the diseases are lacking. Additionally, existing surgical approaches such as bariatric surgery are not routinely used to treat NAFLD. Intervening in patients’ unhealthy lifestyles, such as weight loss through dietary changes and exercises to ameliorate patient-associated metabolic disorders and metabolic syndrome, is the first-line treatment for patients with NAFLD. With sufficient intrinsic motivation and adherence, the management of unhealthy lifestyles can reduce the severity of the disease, improve the quality of life, and increase the survival expectancy of patients with NAFLD.

Keywords: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Lifestyle; physical activity; Physical exercise; Low-calorie diet; Mediterranean diet

Core Tip: With a worldwide prevalence of 25%, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a leading cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. NAFLD is bi-directionally associated with the metabolic syndrome. Owing to the lack of specific drugs and conventional surgeries to treat NAFLD, correcting the unhealthy lifestyles of patients with NAFLD by opting for dietary changes and exercises is the first line of intervention to alleviate pain and improve the quality of life of the patients provided that the patients are intrinsically motivated and adherent.