Aerobic or Resistance Training for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease?

Lifestyle interventions that induce weight loss, primarily dietary changes and exercise, are considered the cornerstone of therapy for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NALFD). However, data are mixed regarding which type of exercise is most effective in this setting: Is aerobic or resistance training best?

To answer this question, investigators randomized 31 patients with type 2 diabetes and NAFLD to participate in a scripted aerobic-exercise regimen or resistance-training regimen for 4 months. All participants received nutritional counseling from a single nutritionist in an effort to control for differences in diet. Outcomes measured were insulin sensitivity (by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp), total body fat mass (by dual-energy x-ray …