Regular exercise reduces liver disease risk

People who lead a sedentary lifestyle can reduce their risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by starting routine physical activity, a new study has found.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a condition where fat accumulates in the liver of those people who drink little or no alcohol. It can cause inflammation or scarring of the liver and more serious cases can lead to liver failure.

According to the study, researchers from the University of Sydney in Australia found that people who started an exercise routine lowered their risk of developing fatty liver disease – and not because of weight loss, but as a direct result of the increased aerobic exercise.

In the study, participants who exercised lost on average 12% of stomach fat – and this reduction led to the decreased risk of fatty liver disease.

Abdominal obesity has also been linked to certain cancers, such as kidney cancer and colon cancer.

“Our observation of the beneficial effect of regular exercise itself on liver and abdominal fat should refocus the debate on the role of physical activity in the prevention and management of obesity and fatty liver disease,” the researchers said.

The study was published in the journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, Hepatology. Link...