Carbohydrate quality index and risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Iranian adults

In the current study, we aimed to assess the association of carbohydrate quality index (CQI) with the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Iranian adults.

This case-control study was conducted on 225 newly diagnosed NAFLD patients and 450 controls, aged 20–60 years. A food frequency questionnaire was used to calculate the CQI and its components, including fiber intake, glycemic index, whole grains: total grains ratio, and solid carbohydrates: total carbohydrates ratio. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) of NAFLD across the tertile of CQI and its components.

The participant’s mean ± SD of body mass index and age were 26.8 ± 4.3 kg/m² and 38.1 ± 8.8 years, respectively. The median (interquartile) CQI score in participants of the case and control groups was 20 (15–25) and 23 (18–28), respectively. In the multivariable-adjusted model, the risk of NAFLD decreased significantly across the tertiles of the CQI [(OR: 0.20; %95CI: 0.11–0.39), P_trend <0.001)]. Also, the odds of NAFLD decreased across tertiles of solid carbohydrates to total carbohydrates ratio [(OR: 0.39; 95%CI: 0.22–0.69), P_trend <0.001)]. However, a high dietary glycemic index (GI) was associated with increased odds of NAFLD [(OR:7.47; 95%CI: 3.89–14.33, P_trend<0.001)]. There was no significant relationship between other CQI components, including fiber intake and whole grain/total grains and the risk of NAFLD.

Our results revealed that a diet with a high quality of carbohydrates, characterized by higher intakes of solid carbohydrates, whole grain, and low GI carbohydrates, can be related to a reduced risk of NAFLD.