Fatty liver cases have soared over the past 30 years, a new study finds
Why is fatty liver a serious concern?
The researchers have said that fatty liver is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and a common type of liver cancer. If left untreated it can progress to liver cancer and liver failure. The severity of fatty liver is can be estimated from the severity of the diseases for which it is a risk factor. The global burden of diabetes and heart disease is already a big concern for health agencies. In recent years, NAFLD has become the most common reason for liver transplantation.
What causes fatty liver disease?
One of the most prominent habit that triggers fatty liver is excess eating. When the liver is unable to break down fats in the normal way it does, it tends to accumulate them within it and this gives rise to the unhealthy liver condition called fatty liver. Obesity, diabetes and high amount of triglycerides also trigger fatty liver disease development.
What are the signs of fatty liver disease?
The common signs that indicate the development of fatty deposition in the liver are fatigue, pain or severe discomfort in the right abdomen, swelling in the abdomen which is medically referred to as ascites, enlarged blood vessels, and issues in the spleen. Mental confusion and extreme lethargy are also associated with this condition. Patients also have swollen legs. Loss of appetite and weight loss are also associated with fatty liver.
What to do about it?
The fatty liver needs to be treated as early as possible. This lifestyle-driven health condition needs thorough monitoring of the diet and physical activity. The objective should be to keep the liver healthy. Avoid consuming alcohol, get vaccinated against potential liver viruses, control diet habits, and concentrate on having a seasonal, nutritional, and wholesome diet. Devote a decent amount of time for exercise. Get regular tests for the liver so that any disease can be checked at an early stage.
About the study
For the study, the researchers analyzed data of 32,726 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1988 to 2018. “We found that overall, both MAFLD and obesity increased with time, with the increase in MAFLD greater than the increase in obesity,” researcher Theodore C. Friedman, M.D., Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science in Los Angeles, Calif has said.