Optimal Exercise Frequency to Reduce Liver Fat in Centrally Obese Adults With Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Examining the Optimal Exercise Frequency for Alleviating Liver Fat in Centrally Obese Adults With Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): A Comparative Randomized Controlled Trial
The University of Hong Kong
300 participants
Mar 2, 2023
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
This study aims to examine the comparative effectiveness of different exercise frequencies (once-a-week vs. thrice-a-week) for reducing liver fat in centrally obese adults with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), with weekly exercise volumes aligned with the World Health Organization's physical activity recommendations.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria6
- Cantonese, Mandarin, or English speaking Chinese;
- Aged 18-69;
- Male or female;
- Centrally obese according to the Asian-specific cut-off (waist circumference ≥90 cm for males; ≥80 cm for females) and with BMI ≥23;
- With NAFLD (defined as >5% intrahepatic triglycerides assessed by 1H-MRS);
- Willing to participate in exercise training to improve NAFLD.
Exclusion Criteria9
- Regular exercise training (>3 sessions of >60 min of moderate-intensity exercise training weekly) in the past 6 months;
- Medical history of cardiovascular disease, chronic pulmonary or kidney disease, heart failure, cancer, and/or liver disease except NAFLD;
- Somatic conditions that limit exercise participation (e.g., limb loss);
- Impaired mobility due to chronic disease (e.g., chronic arthritis/osteoarthritis, neurological, musculoskeletal, and autoimmune diseases);
- Daily smoking habit;
- Excess alcohol consumption (daily ≥20 g of alcohol for men and ≥10 g for women) in the past 1 year;
- Consumption of certain drugs (e.g., tamoxifen and estrogen) known to be secondary causes of steatosis;
- Surgery, therapy, or medication for obesity or weight loss in the past 6 months (e.g., gastric bypass, gastric band, sleeve gastrectomy, gastric reduction duodenal switch, or dietitian-prescribed dietary program);
- Physical changes that considerably affect body composition and weight (e.g., anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, prolonged gastrointestinal and digestive disorders) during the study period.
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Interventions
Participants in this group will participate in a supervised treadmill exercise program delivered by certified fitness instructors. The prescribed program will involve one session weekly for 4 months, and the duration of vigorous-intensity treadmill exercise per session will be 75 min. Participants will exercise with an exercising heart rate at 6-7 metabolic equivalents (METs). Health information provided to the usual care control group will be made available to the participants in this group.
Participants in this group will participate in a supervised treadmill exercise program delivered by certified fitness instructors. The prescribed program will involve three sessions weekly for 4 months, and the duration of vigorous-intensity treadmill exercise per session will be 25 min. Participants will exercise with an exercising heart rate at 6-7 METs. Health information provided to the usual care control group will be made available to the participants in this group.
Participants in this group will receive health education delivered by research personnel. This program will consist of eight two-hour bi-weekly sessions covering major health issues relating to general health and NAFLD, such as non-communicable diseases, infectious diseases, and a healthy lifestyle.
Locations(1)
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NCT05741957