Health related quality of life varies by weight loss method in patients with history of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract Weight loss through lifestyle modification is currently the standard of care in the management of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, benefits of specific strategies for achieving weight loss in these patients are poorly understood. We sought to determine whether patient satisfaction and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) vary by specific weight loss method in patients with NAFLD. Patients diagnosed with NAFLD in the previous 6 months to 3 years were identified through chart review at our urban, tertiary medical center. Participants were administered an online questionnaire assessing liver disease and weight loss history, HRQoL, and satisfaction with their weight loss method. Patients who incorporated caloric restriction into their weight loss plans had lower total HRQoL scores (5.0 vs 5.4, P = .05) as compared to patients who did not include this method. Multivariate analysis showed that caloric restriction was independently associated with lower HRQoL scores ( β = −2.25, P = .03). Weight loss was associated with both increased total HRQoL scores (5.3 vs 4.9, P = .05) and increased patient satisfaction scores (3.3 vs 2.1, P = 4.00 × 10 −10 ). Our data demonstrate that incorporation of caloric restriction into a weight loss plan is associated with lower HRQoL. Choosing a weight loss strategy associated with improved quality of life could be an important factor in improving adherence and patient outcomes.