Exercise Strategies for the Prevention and Treatment of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is steadily increasing in conjunction with increases in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and physical inactivity. NAFLD encompasses a spectrum of conditions associated with lipid deposition in hepatocytes, ranging from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and to advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis. A large proportion of patients with NAFLD have co-existing metabolic syndrome, which is also a major risk factor of cardiovascular disease. There is an urgency to recognize that NAFLD poses an additional risk for cardiovascular disease and should involve early aggressive risk factor modification. A lifestyle modification of diet and physical activity targeting substantial weight loss is considered as the first-line defense system against NAFLD. In this review, the roles of physical activity are discussed as an effective and safe means to combat NAFLD and its metabolic complications.