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Abstract

Objective: Fat-rich nutrition may influence the neurochemical consequences of hepatic lipid accumulation. This study examined whether percent energy from fat modifies the association between liver fat and the brain (Cho/Cr) ratio in healthy young women. Methods: A total of 109 healthy Saudi women aged 18–25 years underwent brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) to quantify Cho/Cr ratios. Liver fat was estimated using MRI-based proton density fat fraction (PDFF), and lipid intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Multivariable regression models tested the interaction between liver fat and fat-derived energy intake, followed by simple slopes analysis, regression diagnostics, and false discovery rate (FDR) correction. Results: A modest but statistically significant interaction was observed between liver fat and reported fat intake in relation to the brain Cho/Cr ratio (p = 0.037). The association between liver fat and Cho/Cr appeared stronger at higher levels of fat consumption (+1 SD) and weaker at lower intake (-1 SD). Regression diagnostics indicated no multicollinearity or heteroscedasticity, and FDR correction supported the stability of the interaction. Conclusion: Fat intake may modify the relationship between liver fat and brain choline metabolism in young women. These findings suggest that nutritional context could play a role in liver–brain metabolic coupling, although the effect size is modest and should be interpreted with caution.

Article Type

Original Study

First Page

1309

Last Page

1315

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