Keto Diet Reduces Liver Fat by 67% and Reverses Prediabetes, Study Finds

A controlled clinical trial published on August 27 in the journal Cell Metabolism reveals that a ketogenic diet can reduce liver fat by up to 67 percent and reverse prediabetes in adults with obesity. According to researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, the trial was designed to determine whether specific dietary compositions offer metabolic benefits that extend beyond simple weight loss.

Comparing Three Diets for Obesity and Fatty Liver Disease

Obesity affects approximately four out of every ten adults in the United States, driving high rates of type 2 disease, heart conditions, and metabolic dysfunction, according to findings cited by Rolasnews.com. To isolate the metabolic effects of diet from overall weight reduction, researchers recruited 42 adult participants who lived with obesity, prediabetes, and fatty liver disease. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three strictly controlled nutritional plans where the research team supplied all meals, and dietitians met with participants weekly to verify compliance.

As reported by Rolasnews.com, the three tested regimens featured sharply contrasting macronutrient distributions. The ketogenic diet derived 73 percent of its calories from fat and only 4 percent from carbohydrates. By contrast, the Mediterranean diet provided roughly 35 percent of calories from fat and 50 percent from carbohydrates, emphasizing vegetables, nuts, olive oil, and plant-based foods alongside moderate amounts of fish and dairy. The plant-focused low-fat diet sat at the opposite extreme, deriving 70 percent of calories from carbohydrates and only 15 percent from fat.

Controlled Weight Loss and Metabolic Outcomes

To ensure weight loss did not confound the results, researchers adjusted caloric intake so that participants across all three study arms achieved similar reductions in body weight. Each participant targeted a roughly 10 percent drop from their baseline weight, a goal typically reached within four to five months, according to Rolasnews.com.

While all three dietary patterns successfully lowered body fat and improved insulin sensitivity, the ketogenic diet group demonstrated superior improvements in specific biomarkers. According to Vietnam.vn and Rolasnews.com, the very-low-carbohydrate protocol achieved up to a 67 percent reduction in liver fat and effectively reversed prediabetes indicators among the study population.