Scientists have given a health warning that regular big servings of rich, fatty food is likely to cause lasting liver damage. This is due to the amount of fat present in most comfort foods that alters metabolism even if you just eat one burger with fries or eight slices of pizza in one go. The study also shows that even lean individuals are incapable of recovering from such diet.
The study examined 14 lean and healthy men aged 20 to 40 and their physiological response to fats mostly found in a typical diet. They were either given a vanilla-flavored palm oil drink or just plain water. The scientist formulated the palm oil to contain similar amount of saturated fat as a 110g cheeseburger served with a large portion of french fries or an eight-slice pepperoni pizza.
The results show a health warning that consuming the palm oil leads in an immediate increase in fat accumulation. This in turn reduces sensitivity to insulin, which regulates blood sugar. It also raised levels of fats called triglycerides which is linked to heart disease, the Daily Express says.
Overall, the effect of fat consumption alters liver function and leads to gene activity alteration that increases risk of fatty liver disease. Same effects were observed in mice given the same palm oil treatment.The research, led by Professor Michael Roden from the German Diabetes Center published the findings in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
"One such meal would probably be sufficient to induce transient insulin resistance and impair hepatic (liver) metabolism," the researchers say. According to the Vanguard, aside from obesity, increased fat in the liver can cause inflammation, which ultimately leads to cirrhosis. It is a health warning to the public that the rising epidemic of obesity also rapidly increases the rate of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and is expected to overtake hepatitis C as the leading indication for liver transplant.
