Abstract
BACKGROUND: The type and amount of dietary fats play an important role in fat accumulation in the liver. Sesame oil (SO) is a good source of monounsaturated acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). OBJECTIVE: This trial aimed at examining the effect of SO consumption on the levels of liver enzymes and the severity of fatty liver in women with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) undergoing a weight loss diet. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, controlled trial was carried out on 60 women with NAFLD. Subjects were randomly assigned to the SO group (n = 30) and sunflower oil (SFO) group (n = 30), each person consuming 30 grams of oil per day for 12 weeks. All the participants received a hypocaloric diet (-500 kcal/day) during the study. Fatty liver grade and liver enzymes were assessed at pre- and postintervention phases. RESULTS: 53 patients completed the study. Significant reductions in body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and fatty liver grade were observed in both groups (P < 0.05). Following SO, significant decreases in serum aspartate and alanine aminotransferases (AST and ALT) were observed. After adjusting for confounders, ALT, AST, and fatty liver grade of the SO group were significantly reduced compared to the SFO group (P < 0.05). However, the changes in serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were not significant (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The desired effects of weight loss were reinforced by the consumption of SO through improving fatty liver severity and serum ALT and AST levels in NAFLD patients. Moreover, low-calorie diets may lead to favorable outcomes for NAFLD patients through mitigation of obesity and fatty liver grade.