High fructose, trans fats lead to significant liver disease, says study

Scientists at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center have discovered that a diet with high levels of fructose — levels equivalent to that in high fructose corn syrup — and of trans fats not only increases obesity, but also leads to significant fatty liver disease with scar tissue.

Moreover, the researchers conducted the study in a new mouse model of obesity and liver disease that so closely models human disease they will now be able to test therapies to determine their effectiveness, according to Rohit Kohli, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the study’s main author.

“Fructose consumption accounts for approximately 10.2 percent of calories in the average diet in the United States and has been linked to many health problems, including obesity, cardiovascular disease and liver disease,” says Kohli. “We've developed a mouse model that is very close to human disease, allowing us to better understand the process involved in the development and progression of obesity-related fatty liver disease."

Tags: health, liver disease, life