Front Nutr. 2026 Aug 11;13:1789238. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2026.1789238. eCollection 2026.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Dietary habits are important factors of metabolic and hepatobiliary health. However, there is still a lack of research on the relationships between gallstone disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and regular eating habits.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the associations between dietary patterns and hepatobiliary outcomes, including NAFLD, gallstone disease, and related biochemical markers, in adults who visit tertiary-care clinics.
METHODS: This retrospective observational association study involved 600 adults aged 20-70 years with a principal component analysis of a validated food frequency questionnaire and categorized them into healthy (n = 285) and Western (n = 315) diets. Hepatobiliary health was assessed by anthropometric measurements, fasting biochemical (alanine aminotransferase, fasting glucose, lipid profile, malondialdehyde) measurements, and abdominal ultrasonography. The odds ratios (ORs) of NAFLD and gallstone disease were estimated using logistic regression to control age, sex and BMI. The effect modification of overall and central adiposity was studied through stratified analyses.
RESULTS: Higher BMI, a wider waist circumference, more energy intake, and less physical activity were all related to following a Western diet (all p < 0.001). In crude and partially adjusted models, Western dietary patterns were associated to increased odds of NAFLD and gallstone disease; however, these relationships were not statistically significant after additional adjustment for waist circumference, total energy intake, and physical inactivity (NAFLD: OR = 1.37, 95% CI: 0.68-2.75, p = 0.384; gallstone disease: OR = 1.83, 95% CI: 0.93-3.61, p = 0.080). Participants following a Western dietary pattern exhibited higher levels of ALT, triglycerides, total cholesterol, fasting glucose, and malondialdehyde, along with lower HDL-C concentrations (all p < 0.001). Most of the participants with overweight, obesity, or abdominal obesity showed the strongest associations.
CONCLUSION: These results shed more light on the association between dietary patterns and hepatobiliary health. More research on dietary-pattern-oriented approaches is necessary to fully comprehend their potential impact in hepatobiliary health.
PMID:42643230 | PMC:PMC13503224 | DOI:10.3389/fnut.2026.1789238
