| Title: | Plasma metabolic signatures of healthy dietary patterns and risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and cirrhosis |
| Journal: | Hepatology International |
| Published: | 22 Jul 2026 |
| Pubmed: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42484934/ |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s12072-026-11121-4 |
| URL: | https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12072-026-11121-4.pdf |
Publication 21416
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Abstract
BackgroundThe underlying mechanisms of the associations between dietary patterns and liver disease remain unclear. We aimed to identify metabolic signatures (MSs) reflecting adherence to ten healthy dietary patterns and to investigate their associations with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and cirrhosis.MethodsThis cohort study included 82,259 participants with detailed dietary and metabolomic data. MSs for each dietary pattern were derived using elastic-net regression. Cox proportional hazards regression, Mendelian randomization, and mediation analyses were employed to explore potential associations and mechanisms.ResultsMSs for ten healthy dietary patterns were derived from 31 to 116 metabolites, primarily comprising fatty acids, lipids, and lipoprotein subclasses. Across all patterns, MSs were consistently associated with a lower risk of MASLD, with hazard ratios (HRs) ranging from 0.59 to 0.76. Notably, MSs for MIND, HPDI, rE-DII, and HLCD were associated with reduced cirrhosis risk (HRs: 0.56 to 0.63). Mendelian randomization analysis supported a potential causal relationship between MSs of MED, MIND, HPDI, and EAT-Lancet diets and liver diseases. Mediation analysis revealed that specific MSs accounted for 20.1% to 29.4% of the association between dietary patterns and MASLD, and 25.7% to 27.4% of that with cirrhosis. Metabolites from fatty acid metabolism and lipoprotein subclasses were significantly linked to liver diseases, and substantial mediated effects were observed across these metabolic pathways.ConclusionsSpecific MSs linked to healthy dietary patterns are associated with reduced risk of liver disease, potentially underlying the diet's protective mechanism against MASLD and guiding future dietary guidelines in preventing progressive liver disease.Graphical Abstract</p>
13 Keywords
- Adult
- Cohort Studies
- Diet, Healthy
- Fatty Liver
- Female
- Humans
- Liver Cirrhosis
- Male
- Mendelian Randomization Analysis
- Metabolomics
- Middle Aged
- Proportional Hazards Models
- Risk Factors
13 Authors
- Shijia Wang
- Yingxin Liao
- Zhijun Xue
- Yuxiang Huang
- Chao Yu
- Xuechen Chen
- Qiaoqiao Yang
- Peiting Zhang
- Mengyu Zhou
- Yuqing Deng
- Wenhua Ling
- Xu Chen
- Hongliang Xue
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