Consumption of fructose-rich diets, early in life, has been implicated in metabolic syndrome (MetS) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) development. Biologically active phytochemicals are being investigated as alternatives in the treatment of metabolic abnormalities associated with MetS and NALFD. The plant-derived flavonoid quercetin has been found to improve signs associated with MetS and NAFLD; however most studies used quercetin therapeutically and not prophylatically. Thirty-eight, 21 day old, male Sprague Dawley rats (66.13 ± 12.89 g) were used to investigate the effects of quercetin supplementation in the prevention of fructose-induced NAFLD development, post weaning. Group 1 (C) (n=8) received normal rat chow (NRC), plain gelatine cubes (GC) and tap water (TW) to drink; Group 2 (Q) (n=8) received NRC, GC with quercetin (100 mg.kg-1 body mass daily) and TW to drink; Group 3 (F) (n=8) received NRC, plain GC and a 20 % fructose solution (FS) to drink; Group 4 (FQ) (n=7) received NRC, GC with quercetin (100 mg.kg-1 body mass daily) and a 20 % FS to drink; Group 5 (FFe) (n=7) received NRC, GC with fenofibrate (100 mg.kg-1 body mass daily) and a 20 % FS to drink. Rats were fed ad libitum for ten weeks after which they were euthanized using an anaesthetic overdose of sodium pentobarbital and blood and liver samples were collected. Blood metabolic markers of health, liver mass, liver lipid content and liver NAFLD scores were investigated. All rats grew significantly over the ten week period (p<0.0001, ANOVA), however there were no significant differences between groups in percentage body mass gain throughout the treatment period (p>0.05, ANOVA). Fasting blood glucose and serum triglycerides, alanine transaminase, urea and creatinine were not significantly different between groups (p>0.05, ANOVA). Liver mass (relative to body mass) was significantly higher in all rats fed fructose (F, FQ, FFe) versus the control group (C) (p<0.05, ANOVA). Total liver lipid content (ranging between 10.0 ± 1.8 % and 13.1 ± 2.6 %) was not different between groups (p>0.05, ANOVA). The livers of rats fed fructose alone (F) had significantly higher (p<0.05, Kruskal Wallis) micro-steatosis scores (correlating to 33-66 % of liver area covered by steatosis in camera field) compared to those fed quercetin (Q, FQ) or fenofibrate (FFe) (correlating to <5 %). Liver inflammation scores were significantly higher in rats fed fructose (F) compared to those fed quercetin alone (Q) or fenofibrate with fructose (FFe) (p<0.01, Kruskal Wallis). Thus, NAFLD was induced in the rats fed fructose following the ten week treatment period. The development of NAFLD was reduced by daily quercetin supplementation, evident in the significantly reduced micro-steatosis scores observed in quercetin-treated rats. The use of quercetin from an early age as a natural dietary supplement should thus be considered in the prevention of NAFLD in individuals at risk of developing the condition.