Pediatric Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatotic Liver Disease and Food Insecurity

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is now the most common type of chronic liver disease among children and adolescents in the US, with the highest burden among children from low-income families, those with obesity, and those who are Hispanic. MASLD describes a spectrum of liver injury from simple hepatic steatosis to steatohepatitis, which can progress to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver failure. MASLD is one of the leading indications for liver transplantation in adults. Emerging evidence in adults links household FI to MASLD, liver fibrosis, and mortality. FI is defined by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a state in which there is "limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire foods in socially acceptable ways." Adults with MASLD and FI have been shown to have poor diet quality that is significantly associated with fibrosis.

Research has found that household FI is highly prevalent in families with children. Fifteen percent of U.S. households, and 30% of San Francisco households with children are food insecure, which limits the ability of these families to consistently provide healthy, high-quality food. Research has found that children living in food insecure households have worse diet quality with regard to specific food categories compared to those in food secure households. Specifically children in food insecure households consume fewer fruits and vegetables (F&V), and more SSBs. Children in households with severe FI have worse overall diet quality than those who are food secure.

Researchers, including the PI (see preliminary studies below), have found that exposure to household FI in children/adolescents is associated with pediatric MASLD. Given current consensus recommendations for the management of pediatric MASLD focus on lifestyle interventions, i.e., diet and physical activity), this project will assess the association of household FI and MASLD disease severity and whether these effects are mediated by dietary intake.

Inclusion criteria

• Children and adolescents receiving care in the liver and WATCH clinics.
• Family living in California.
• Parent/guardian speaks Spanish or English.
• Child is between the ages of 6 to <17 years.
• Elevated ALT on at least 2 occasions within the past year:

• ALT > 22 units/L for females.
• ALT > 26 units/L for males.
• BMI for age/sex ≥ 85%.
• Alternatively, child has one elevated ALT within the past year and confirmed steatosis on imaging.
• Family does not intend to move out of California within the next year.
• Family is not already receiving EatSF SF Fruit and Vegetable Vouchers.
• Family is not participating in any other dietary education programs besides those offered by the WATCH or liver clinics.

Exclusion criteria

• Child has an underlying condition or medication causing their weight gain (e.g., hypothyroidism, Prader-Willi syndrome, antipsychotic medications).
• Child is on, or expected to go on, or starts on a weight loss medication (e.g., Qsymia or GLP-1 receptor agonists).
• Child has another known cause of liver disease (not including MASLD or MASH), such as:

• Autoimmune hepatitis.
• Wilson's disease.
• Hepatitis A, B, or C.
• Acute infection.
• Genetic condition causing inflammation in the liver.