Mediterranean Diet and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Abstract

The Mediterranean lifestyle and nutrition of the 1950s and early 1960s are the main elements of the “Mediterranean Diet”. The principal aspects of this diet include high consumption of olive oil, legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; moderate to high consumption of fish; moderate consumption of poultry and dairy products coupled with physical and social activities. The diet usually also includes low consumption of meat and dessert. Mediterranean diet promotes a healthy life style by reducing obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Thus, chronic diseases, many types of cancer and deaths related to these diseases are reduced in people who follow the Mediterranean diet. However, as the population living in the Mediterranean region today abandons their traditional eating habits and adopts a Western type of diet, they will be at increased risk of catching NAFLD and other chronic diseases. NAFLD is one of the most common liver diseases in the world, and poses an important health problem that can follow either a benign course, or progress to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis or liver cancer. An evidence-based medicine with proven efficacy is not yet present in the specific treatment for NAFLD. The change in diet and life style is of great importance in NAFLD treatment. In relation to this, a healthy diet practice such as the Mediterranean diet could play a fundamental role in the prevention and healing of metabolic disorders such as NAFLD.

Keywords

• Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
• Mediterranean diet
• Liver Cirrhosis
• Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases

Akdeniz diyeti ve Non alkolik yağlı karaciğer hastalığı

Abstract

1950’ler ve 1960’ların başlarındaki Akdeniz yaşam tarzı ve beslenme şekli ‘‘Akdeniz diyeti’’ kapsamına girmektedir. Bu diyetin temel yönleri, yüksek miktarda zeytinyağı, baklagiller, tam tahıllar, meyve ve sebzeler; orta ile yüksek miktarda balık ve orta düzeyde kümes hayvanı, süt ürünleri tüketimleriyle birlikte fiziksel ve sosyal aktivitelerin birleştirilmesidir. Genellikle az miktarda et ve tatlı tüketimi içermektedir Akdeniz diyeti’nin kişide sağlıklı olma halini artırdığını; obeziteyi, kalp-damar hastalığını, diyabeti, nörodejeneratif hastalıkları ve non-alkolik yağlı karaciğer hastalığını (NAYKH) azalttığını göstermektedir. Böylece Akdeniz diyeti uygulayan kişilerde, kronik hastalıklar, birçok kanser türlerini ile bu hastalıklara bağlı ölümler azalmaktadır. Bununla beraber Akdeniz bölgesinde yaşayan nüfus bugün geleneksel beslenme alışkanlıklarını terk edip, batı tipi beslenme tarzına geçmektedir. Bu da NAYKH ve diğer kronik hastalıklar için risk yaratmaktadır. NAYKH, dünyadaki en yaygın karaciğer hastalıklarından biri olup, benign bir seyir izleyebileceği gibi kronik karaciğer hastalığı, siroz veya karaciğer kanserine ilerleme riski de taşıyan önemli bir sağlık sorunudur. NAYKH tedavisinde diyet ve yaşam tarzı değişikliğinin önemi büyüktür. Bu bağlamda Akdeniz diyeti gibi sağlıklı bir beslenme paterni uygulaması, NAYKH gibi metabolik bozuklukların önlenmesi ve iyileştirilmesinde önemli rol oynamaktadır.

Keywords

• non alkolik yağlı karaciğer hastalığı
• Akdeniz diyeti
• karaciğer sirozu
• Beslenme ve metabolizma hastalıkları

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