Meal Replacement Therapy for Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in Adolescents with Severe Obesity.
Child ObesJun 11, 2026 (epub)
John B Rode, Jack M Wolf, Patrick J Bolan et al.
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In 30 seconds
This Phase II clinical trial assessed the effects of short-term meal replacement therapy (MRT) on hepatic fat content and weight loss in adolescents aged 12-17 with severe obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). The study found a mean absolute decrease in BMI of 5.6% and a 37.3% relative reduction in hepatic fat fraction (HFF), although 13 of 17 participants still had MASLD at the end of the study.
Key findings
- Mean absolute decrease in BMI was 5.6% [-2.23 kg/m2; p < 0.001].
- HFF showed a 37.3% relative reduction (95% CI: 26.4%, 48.1%; p < 0.001).
- Triglycerides decreased by -5.8 mg/dL (p = 0.012).
- Leptin AUC decreased by -40.5 pg/mL (p = 0.009).
Why it matters
The findings suggest that meal replacement therapy can effectively reduce liver fat and improve metabolic markers in adolescents with severe obesity and MASLD, highlighting a potential intervention for this population.