Rapid Onset of Weight Gain and Liver Dysfunction Successfully Treated With Nutrition and Exercise

Hiroteru Kamimura; Masakazu Sano; Takanori Tsujimura; Yasunaga Takeda; Yuko Komoro; Junji Yokoyama; Shuji Terai

doi:10.7759/cureus.16530

Rapid Onset of Weight Gain and Liver Dysfunction Successfully Treated With Nutrition and Exercise

Cureus. 2021 Jul 21;13(7):e16530. doi: 10.7759/cureus.16530. eCollection 2021 Jul.

Authors

Hiroteru Kamimura¹, Masakazu Sano², Takanori Tsujimura³, Yasunaga Takeda⁴, Yuko Komoro⁴, Junji Yokoyama¹, Shuji Terai¹

Affiliations

¹ Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Niigata University, Niigata, JPN.
² Neurological Surgery, Niigata University, Niigata, JPN.
³ Oral Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, JPN.
⁴ Nutrition, Niigata University, Niigata, JPN.

Abstract

Physical inactivity is one of the causes of most metabolic syndromes. The incidence of metabolic syndrome is expected to increase in the near future because of the reduced opportunities for exercise caused by COVID-19. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently the most common cause of chronic liver disease. Changes in diet and lifestyle have led to a dramatic increase in the prevalence of NAFLD in the world. NAFLD is characterized by excessive triglyceride (TG) accumulation in the hepatocytes due to both increased inflow of free fatty acids and de novo hepatic lipogenesis. Thus far, no study quantitatively assessed the liver fat deposition after a rapid decline in physical activity. Herein, we describe a case of a 17-year-old Japanese boy with severe fat infiltration of the liver, due to a rapid decline in physical activity, treated at our facility. Our rehabilitation and nutritional support teams administered appropriate exercise and nutrition support to reduce weight and improve liver dysfunction. Our findings support dietary changes and exercise therapy to manage such cases.

Keywords: exercise; inactivity; liver dysfunction; nafld; nutrition.

Publication types

Case Reports