Japanese Diet Pattern May Be Effective for Liver Fibrosis

Japanese food is popular worldwide and has been registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. There is a scoring system named “the 12-component modified Japanese Diet Index (mJDI12),” which focuses on the intake of the Japanese diet pattern. It includes 12 foods and food groups: rice, miso soup, pickles, soy products, green and yellow vegetables, fruits, seafood, mushrooms, seaweed, green tea, coffee, and beef and pork. Scores range from 0 to 12, with higher scores indicating a diet that conforms to the Japanese food pattern.

A research group led by Dr. Hideki Fujii M.D. and Associate Professor Yoshinari Matsumoto at the Osaka Metropolitan University analyzed the relationship between meals rated by mJDI12, muscle mass, and liver fibrosis progression in 136 patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) attending the Osaka Metropolitan University Hospital.

“This study indicates that the Japanese diet pattern may be effective as a dietary treatment for NAFLD patients. We hope that further intervention studies will lead to the establishment of an effective diet for those patients,” concluded Professor Matsumoto.

Reference: Matsumoto Y, Fujii H, Harima M, et al. Severity of liver fibrosis Is associated with the Japanese diet pattern and skeletal muscle mass in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Nutrients. 2023;15(5):1175. doi: 10.3390/nu15051175

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