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DANGERS TO YOUR LIVER FROM JUST ONE CHEESEBURGER

A SINGLE cheeseburger or pizza blow-out can alter metabolism and trigger changes linked to fatty liver disease and diabetes, research has shown.

Fourteen lean and healthy men – aged between 20 and 40 – were given either a vanilla-flavoured palm oil drink or plain water.

The palm oil contained a similar amount of saturated fat to that in an eight-slice pepperoni pizza or a quarter-pound cheeseburger served with a large portion of fries.

Tests showed that consuming the palm oil resulted in an immediate increase in fat accumulation in the men and reduced their sensitivity to insulin, the vital hormone that regulates blood sugar.

It also raised levels of triglycerides – a type of fat linked to heart disease – altered liver function and led to changes in gene activity associated with fatty liver disease.

The researchers, led by Professor Michael Roden from the German Diabetes Centre in Dusseldorf, published their findings in the Journal of Clinical Investigations.