*EMBARGOED All research presented at the 2022 ACG Annual Scientific Meeting and Postgraduate Course is strictly embargoed until Sunday, October 23, 2022, at 12:00 pm EDT.
Monday, October 24, 2022 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET | Location: Crown Ballroom
Author Insight from Ani Kardashian, MD, University of Southern California
What’s new here and important for clinicians?
In this US population-based study, we show that fast food consumption is associated with a greater risk of liver steatosis even after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, behavioral factors (e.g. alcohol use, physical activity, sugar sweetened beverage consumption), and metabolic risk factors. What is most striking, however, is the impact of fast food consumption on liver steatosis in people with diabetes and obesity. Among people with diabetes and obesity, fast food intake is associated with significantly greater elevations in liver steatosis compared to people without diabetes or obesity, respectively, suggesting that the magnitude of effect of fast food consumption on steatosis is much greater in people with underlying metabolic risk factors. Our findings are particularly alarming given the overall increase in fast-food consumption over the past 50 years, as well as more recently during the coronavirus-19 pandemic, in the U.S.
What do patients need to know?
These findings highlight how important it is for people who have diabetes and obesity to eat a healthy diet and limit their fast food intake, as the magnitude of risk of consuming fast food on their liver health is much greater for them than for those without metabolic risk factors. Additionally, our findings underscore the need for policy efforts that reduce access to nutrient-poor, highly caloric fast foods and improve access to healthier, nutritious food options across the United States.
Author Contact
Ani Kardashian, MD, University of Southern California
Ani.kardashian [at] med.usc.edu
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