A household food-provision diet targeting less than 3% of energy from free sugars,
does it really help with Reduced MRI-measured liver fat over eight weeks in adolescent boys with NAFLD?
research showsGrade C. In an eight-week randomized trial of 40 boys aged 11 to 16 with biopsy-confirmed NAFLD, MRI-PDFF liver fat was 6.23 percentage points lower with the low-free-sugar diet than usual diet after adjustment, 95% CI -9.45 to -3.02, P<.001. This was an intensive household food-provision intervention and a small, short surrogate-endpoint trial, not proof of long-term liver outcomes.
ads claimTurning this into 'just stop sugar and fatty liver is cured' erases the intensity of menu design, household food provision, and twice-weekly contact.
Useful facts when choosing a product
- This was a household food-provision diet, not a supplement.
- The target was less than 3% of energy from free sugars.
- Participants were adolescent boys with biopsy-confirmed NAFLD.
What the research actually shows
Forty boys aged 11 to 16 with biopsy-confirmed NAFLD and MRI-PDFF above 10% were randomized 1:1. The intervention provided household food targeting less than 3% of energy from free sugars for eight weeks. Liver fat changed from 25% to 17% versus 21% to 20%, with an adjusted difference of -6.23 percentage points.
Why this is classified as C (54)
A large prespecified MRI-PDFF difference and independent funding are offset by a surrogate endpoint, n=40, and eight-week duration, giving C with 54 points.
Counterpoint. All 40 participants completed follow-up and no study-related adverse events were reported.
Rejudgment record. Codex full-text and registry cross-check — Accepted the large prespecified MRI-PDFF effect and independent funding while accounting for the surrogate endpoint, n=40, and eight-week duration
| Endpoint | S | Surrogate marker - laboratory or imaging measures |
| Replication | R1 | Single confirmatory trial |
| Independence | I2 | Decisive evidence is publicly or non-profit funded |
| Effect size | E+ | Meets the clinically important threshold |
| Precision | C0 | The confidence interval leaves room for benefit |
The scoring table and the verdict agree (C).
Sub-claim grades by effect
This ingredient is marketed for several effects. A single overall grade blends strong and weak claims together, so each effect is graded separately here. The overall grade reflects the strongest disconfirming or core claim.
| Effect (sub-claim) | Grade | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Eight-week reduction in MRI-PDFF liver fat | C | Positive adjusted difference of -6.23 percentage points. |
| Reduced long-term liver-disease events | ? | The eight-week surrogate trial did not measure this. |
Cross-check — AI research and Codex final gate
Evidence Table
| Study | Design | Sample | Funding | Endpoint | Result | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study 1 | Open-label two-center randomized food-provision trial with masked MRI assessment | 8 | Nutrition Science Initiative plus foundation, academic, and NIH support | Change in MRI-PDFF liver fat from baseline to week eight | Adjusted between-group difference -6.23 percentage points (95% CI -9.45 to -3.02), P<.001 | Positive prespecified MRI endpoint |
Receipt — 1 References
All 1 cited sources were verified for existence at the original page (as of 2026-09-07).
Final verification and publication gate: Codex · Verification cutoff: 2026-09-07 · Corrections: none
Cite this verdict
[Chamgap] Low-Free-Sugar Diet for Eight-Week MRI Liver-Fat Reduction in Adolescent Boys With NAFLD — Evidence Grade C·54. 1 cited sources checked. Source: https://chamgap.com/en/verdicts/liver/low-free-sugar-diet-adolescent-nafld-mri-liver-fat/ · CC BY 4.0CC BY 4.0 — free to use with attribution; do not distort grades, numbers, or verdict meaning.
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