Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education
Open Access

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide and recurrent attempts for losing weight are very common. Diet cycling predisposes to health hazards including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aimed at evaluating the effect of diet cycling on the course of NAFLD. Materials and methods: Male albino Sprague-Dawly rats were used in the study, 24 rats were kept on standard pellet animal diet to serve as control group and 24 rats were fed high fat diet (HFD) for sixteen weeks. Cycling diet group were fed HFD for eight weeks to induce NAFLD, and then shifted to normal caloric diet for four weeks, and then rebound weight gain is allowed by subjecting rats to another four weeks for HFD. Every time interval 8 rats were sacrificed and evaluated for body mass index, liver index, lipid profile, liver enzymes, HOMA-IR index, free fatty acids, TNF-α, IL-6, TGF-β. Oxidative stress enzymes were also measured. Liver histopathology and α-SMA immunoreactivity were evaluated. Results Cycling diet group showed significant increase in inflammatory markers most notably TNF-α with concomitant significant decrease in glutathione reductase levels. Significant increase in BMI, Liver index and other parameters was obvious. More fatty infiltration was noted in cycling group with more inflammatory infiltration. Conclusion: Cycling diet had a negative influence on NAFLD and interfered with normal liver function. Cycling diet caused more fatty infiltration and more inflammation than the continuous HFD. Continuous HFD and cycling diet shared the same fibrosis stage. These results suggest that rebound weight gain affect the course of NAFD negatively.

Biography

Email: hunyajana_hazem@yahoo.com