P022 RELATIONSHIP AMONG FATTY LIVER INDEX, VISCERAL ADIPOSITY INDEX AND HOMA-IR AND MEDITERRANEAN DIET AS A MODIFIABLE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR IN OBESE PATIENTS

Background Unhealthy lifestyle, including diet and obesity are the most probable causes of fatty liver (FL), a source of inflammatory factors. The Mediterranean Diet (MD), a healthy dietary pattern characterized by high consumption of vegetables and low consumption of full fat dairy products and red meat, is associated with a better insulin sensitivity. Adherence to MD is a significant predictor of changes in the fat content of the liver in overweight patients with FL. Fatty Liver Index (FLI) has proposed as a surrogate parameter for liver fat content in the general population. Visceral adiposity Index (VAI) is a gender-specific index of adipocyte dysfunction highly correlated with cardiometabolic risk. The aim of this observational study was to evaluate the correlations between the adherence to the MD with endocrine-metabolic indices in obese patients. Patients and Methods Fifty obese individuals (19 M and 31 F, mean age 36.9 ± 8.3 and 36.1 ± 10.1 yrs, respectively) were included in this study. The adherence to the MD was evaluated using the PREvencio´n con DIeta MEDiterra´nea (PREDIMED) questionnaire. HoMA-IR, FLI and VAI were calculated. Results Forty-six individulas presented poor adherence to the MD, 46% average adherence and 8% high adherence. FLI and HoMA-IR values higher than cut offs were found in all the subjects, while VAI score higher than age and gender-specific cutoff values was evidenced in 92% subjects. MD adherence was significantly correlated with BMI (r = - 0.541, p \0.001), waist circumference (r = - 0.660, p\0.001), HoMA-IR (r = - 0.531, p = 0.014), FLI (r = - 0.617, p\0.001),and VAI (r = - 0.323, p = 0.022). After adjusting for BMI, MD adherence and FLI remained still significantly correlated (r = - 0.488, p = 0.001). At multiple regression analysis, MD adherence was the major predictor of FLI (b = - 0.621, t = - 5.3, p\0.001). Conclusions Besides the well-known relationship between MD and insulin resistance, our data evidences the negative association among MD adherence, FLI and VAI in obese subjects. The independent association between MD adherence and FLI further supports the key role of diet in FL pathogenesis.