38% of Indians have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, says AIIMS study

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

AIIMS study, which analysed published reports on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in India, states that over one-third (38 per cent) of Indians have fatty liver or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.The phenomenon is not restricted to adults, but affects nearly 35 per cent of the children as well, says the study published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hepatology in June 2022. «Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is often unrecognised since it does not cause symptoms in the early stage, but may progress in some patients with severe liver disease.

»The cause of 'fatty liver' or 'steatohepatitis' is the recent westernisation of our diets which involves increased intake of fast food, lack of healthy fruits and vegetables on the plate, and an unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle," Dr Anoop Saraya, Head of Department of Gastroenterology, said. He said the ailment is considered the «liver counterpart» of metabolic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

Although there is currently no approved drug treatment for fatty liver, the condition is reversible, he added. «The only way to conquer this new epidemic is to adopt a healthy lifestyle and achieve weight loss in obese individuals through adequate diet, restrict junk and sugary food intake, and exercise regularly,» Saraya noted.

Experts say alcohol intake remains a common cause of liver disease in India. Intake of alcohol can lead to «alcoholic hepatitis» and cirrhosis, which can progress to liver cancer and death.

«Alcohol accounts for most of the cases of severe liver damage which are admitted to hospitals with diagnosis such as 'acute chronic liver failure' and these have a high mortality,» Dr Saraya stated. What makes the matters worse is