Even a single daily fast-food meal can drastically up your risk of severe liver disease

A research team from the University of Southern California studied how our daily diet impacts liver health. They analyzed the dietary and medical data of around 4,000 people. It was found that 52% of them were occasional fast food consumers, and for 29% of the participants, this type of meal accounted for a fifth of their daily calorie intake.

Researchers found that regular fast-food eaters exhibited an increased accumulation of fat in their liver. American researchers particularly highlighted the risk for patients with diabetes and overweight individuals, who were vulnerable to health issues caused by an unhealthy diet. Healthy individuals consuming fast food showed no disastrous health impacts, however, a modest rise in liver fat quantity was observed.

"The noticeable increase in liver fat in people with obesity or diabetes is quite alarming. It's probably due to these conditions making them more susceptible to fat deposition in the liver," noted Dr. Ani Kardashian, a hepatologist and the main author of the study.

The conclusions from this comprehensive analysis were featured in the medical journal "Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology". The authors underscored that even routinely eating small amounts of so-called junk food, typically served in fast-food restaurants, escalates the risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Consequently, this kind of diet could ultimately lead to liver failure and potentially even liver cancer.