The Impact of Intermittent Fasting on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Older Adults: A Review of Clinicaltrials.gov Registry

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a predominant health condition across the world due to its rising prevalence and association with various metabolic disorders. Intermittent fasting (IF) has attracted increasing attention as a dietary approach to addressing weight management and enhancing metabolic well-being, and its potential effects on NAFLD have been a topic of growing research interest. AIM: This review aims to critically evaluate the current evidence on IF’s impact on NAFLD, including the mechanisms underlying the observed effects in older adults (65+). METHODS: A comprehensive search of Clinicaltrials.gov was conducted to identify relevant studies that investigated the effects of IF on NAFLD in older adults (65+). Data on study design, sample size, intervention details, and outcomes related to NAFLD were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: As of April 12th, 2023, there were 1304 clinical trials on NAFLD. Most of these were interventional studies. The investigation focused on completed studies and found that limited clinical trials were identified with limited interventional measures. Only five out of the 1304 studies on NAFLD involved IF. Basic and advanced outcome measures were examined. CONCLUSION: Although some studies suggest that IF may have potential benefits for NAFLD, the evidence is still limited and inconclusive.