Researchers at the Royal Free London are leading a consortium which has received a £1.4 million grant to discover a way to deliver personalised dietary care for patients with obesity and at risk of developing liver disease.
The team are keen to find out why some people develop steatotic liver disease (SLD), also known as ‘fatty liver disease’ while others do not, even if they have similar risk factors like obesity or diet.
Using artificial intelligence, the researchers will analyse huge amounts of health data such as genes, diet and medical results to find hidden patterns. This will help group patients into clusters, to identify subgroups of patients that can be treated according to their particular risks and needs.
The aim is then to develop precision diets, suitable for each subgroup, that would work best for their particular biology or genetics. In addition, monitoring blood tests will be developed for each particular diet, to help patients keep track of their progress.
Consultant hepatologists Dr Gautam Mehta and Professor Manolis Tsochatzis and Professor Devaki Nair, consultant lipidologist and chemical pathologist, make up the team at the Royal Free London. University College London, Cambridge University, Ulster University, the NNEdPro Global Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health and the British Liver Trust are also taking part in the research funded by the Medical Research Council.
Dr Gautam Mehta said: “Fatty liver disease is a major health problem in the UK and worldwide. We are increasingly aware that SLD is not a single disease, but a spectrum of conditions with slightly different factors at play. Although new drug treatments are being developed, a ‘one-size-fits-all’ is unlikely to be effective and the drugs are expensive. Diet is a cornerstone of treatment for SLD but current dietary advice is generic and doesn’t always work for everyone.
“Based on the findings of this research we will work with nutrition experts and patients to design tailored dietary interventions. This will move beyond general advice and provide specific, actionable recommendations.”
Dr Mehta believes that the implications of the research could be widespread. He said: “This project will contribute to the broader field of precision nutrition by demonstrating how advanced data analysis techniques can be used to tailor dietary advice. In time, I hope these techniques may also be applied to prevent other complications of obesity.”
Pamela Healy, chief executive, British Liver Trust, said: “Fatty liver affects one in five people in the UK, and liver disease is now among the top causes of death amongst individuals of working age. Although diet and lifestyle modification can help, these changes don’t help everyone. At the British Liver Trust, we’re pleased to be part of this important project to understand differences amongst patients with fatty liver. Creating personalised diets and treatments will be a key step in improving lives for patients.”
