A Nordic diet, rich in fish, vegetables, berries, and pulses, has been found to significantly reduce the damaging effects of type 2 diabetes and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). MASLD, a condition characterized by excess fat buildup in the liver and not linked to heavy alcohol consumption, is reportedly on the rise in the UK.

New research conducted by Swedish scientists, who tracked over 150 participants for a year, demonstrated that adherence to a healthy Nordic meal plan improved blood sugar control in type 2 diabetics by substantially reducing liver fat. The study also revealed that more than half of the participants with MASLD experienced remission of their fatty liver disease and saw a reduction in levels of 'bad cholesterol'. These findings are considered crucial by experts, who suggest the Nordic diet could be an effective tool for managing and stabilizing these conditions.

Professor Ulf Risérus, an expert in clinical nutrition and metabolism at Uppsala University and a co-author of the study, highlighted the impressive results, particularly for individuals with diabetes. He noted a more than 20 percent reduction in liver fat and improved blood sugar control over one year for diabetic participants. Dr. Michael Fridén, a nutrition and MASLD researcher also from Uppsala University and a study co-author, pointed out that participants on the Nordic diet lost weight despite being allowed to eat as much as they wanted from recommended foods, contrasting with many previous studies that relied on calorie restriction.

In the study, 150 individuals were divided into three groups: one followed a low-carb plant-based diet, another a healthy Nordic diet, and the third served as a control group maintaining their normal diet. All groups were advised to limit sugary drinks, sweets, candy, and snacks. While both the low-carb plant-based and Nordic diets were effective in reducing liver fat and bad cholesterol, the healthy Scandinavian meal plan proved more beneficial in long-term blood glucose reduction and had more positive effects on body weight.

Although the exact mechanisms behind the Nordic diet's efficacy are still being investigated, researchers, writing in the journal Nature Communications, hypothesize that its higher consumption of oats and wholegrain bread, coupled with low butter intake, may contribute to its benefits. Professor Risérus emphasized that these results are vital for future dietary recommendations, especially for overweight individuals with Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, suggesting the diet directly helps reduce fat deposits in the liver, improves blood glucose and lipid levels, and reduces inflammation.

MASLD, also known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is estimated by the British Liver Trust to affect one in five people in the UK, with some experts suggesting the true figure could be as high as 40 percent. A significant portion (around 80 percent) of those affected remain undiagnosed due to often absent or easily mistaken symptoms. The condition is typically identified during routine blood or liver function tests. Patients with MASLD have excess liver fat and at least one metabolic risk factor like obesity, high blood sugar, or high blood pressure. Approximately one in four progresses to a more advanced form called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), involving inflammation, cell damage, and potential liver scarring.

Diabetes UK reports that 4.6 million Britons have a diabetes diagnosis, with 90 percent suffering from type 2 diabetes, and an estimated 1.3 million people living undiagnosed. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body either does not produce enough insulin or becomes resistant to it, leading to elevated blood sugar levels. Common symptoms include fatigue, increased thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, blurred vision, and slow-healing wounds.