2.1. Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility criteria for this review were developed using the PICOS (Population Intervention Comparison Outcome Study Design) model. Included studies were those assessing the progression of NAFLD to hepatic fibrosis and/or cirrhosis in relation to coffee consumption. This review considered studies that met the following inclusion criteria: 1. females and males of any age with NAFLD; 2. intervention studies such as cross-over trials, randomised controlled trials (RCT), quasi-RCT, and pre- and post-studies, as well as observational studies such as cohort studies, case control studies, and cross-sectional studies; 3. studies that utilised hepatic imaging or liver biopsies to evaluate NAFLD progression; 4. any type and quantity of coffee consumption were eligible for inclusion, however, studies that did not differentiate between coffee intake and overall caffeine intake were excluded. Systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses were excluded, as were animal studies.