Ketogenic Diet Improves Liver Health Most in Trial
A clinical trial of 55 people with obesity compared three diets and found the low-carbohydrate option produced the largest reductions in liver fat and glucose levels.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Nutrition
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A randomized clinical trial published in Cell Metabolism found that a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet improved liver health more than Mediterranean and plant-forward diets in people with metabolically unhealthy obesity. The ketogenic group also showed greater improvement in blood sugar control.
Why it matters
Weight loss alone does not fully capture the metabolic benefits of dietary change, and the study suggests diet type may influence liver fat and glucose regulation differently. Researchers examined the three diets because those specific benefits beyond weight loss were largely unknown.
In the trial of 55 participants, 50% of the ketogenic group reversed prediabetes compared with 29% in the Mediterranean group and 7% in the plant-forward group. All three groups reported 95% adherence and lost about 10% of starting body weight, but the study does not establish whether the liver and glucose benefits persist beyond the five-month period.
The players
Washington University School of Medicine
The institution where lead researcher Max Petersen conducted the study, a leading academic medical center in St. Louis known for research in metabolism and nutrition.
The details
Participants with metabolically unhealthy obesity were randomly assigned to a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet, a Mediterranean diet, or a very-low-fat plant-forward diet, with 17, 18 and 20 participants respectively. Food was provided throughout the study and participants attended weekly meetings with a dietitian.
Timeline
About five months: duration of the clinical trial comparing the three diets.
October 30, 2026: Healio published its article on the study.
Health Landscape
Fatty liver disease affects about 75% of adults with obesity worldwide, making liver-focused dietary findings relevant to a widespread metabolic problem. The trial adds evidence that diet composition, not only calorie or weight reduction, may shape outcomes tied to that condition.
Readers with obesity or prediabetes may find that diet composition affects liver fat and blood sugar, though these results come from a short trial. Any dietary change for these conditions should be discussed with a clinician before making significant changes.
The takeaway
Diet type may influence liver fat and blood sugar beyond the effects of weight loss alone. Ongoing research is needed to determine whether these benefits last over longer periods.
Further reading
Explore more on Nutrition for context on how diet composition affects metabolic health.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Healio.
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