Scientists from Western Sydney University found that aerobic exercise interventions with either high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) could help reduce non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
The research is published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism and was conducted by Dr. Angelo Sabag et al.
One of the most prevalent liver diseases in the world, affecting approximately 20-30% of the population, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized as excess fat accumulation in the liver of people without excessive alcohol intake.
NAFLD is a predictor of metabolic disorders, closely linked to the development and severity of various diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
Due to the lack of effective therapies, lifestyle interventions targeting weight loss continue to be the primary approach for the management of NAFLD.
In the study, the team screened over 28,000 studies, with the primary analysis including 19 studies, involving 745 adult participants.
The team found that both HIIT and MICT strongly reduced liver fat when compared to the control.
Additionally, HIIT workouts (characterized by bouts of high-intensity aerobic exercise alternating with rest periods), were just as effective when compared to MICT workouts (traditional aerobic exercise training) in reducing liver fat despite requiring less time and energy.
The research has practical recommendations and implications for clinical practice and could contribute to reducing NAFLD.
The team says that regular aerobic exercise was an important management intervention, whether HIIT or MICT, and that if left untreated, NAFLD can lead to serious complications.
The study demonstrates the importance of regular aerobic exercise as an effective therapy in those at risk, with both HIIT and MICT found to improve liver fat to similar degrees.
It is useful information to know that by training harder in less time with HIIT, you can achieve the same results as MICT, which is ideal for those with a busy lifestyle and little time.
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