|
Rates of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease are soaring, with no slow-down in sight
|
|
|
Key takeaways
|
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common cause of liver disease in the U.S., and it is considered a silent disease because it has few or no symptoms, meaning most people with the disease are unaware of its presence. Most commonly, fatigue and discomfort in the upper right side of the abdomen are leading symptoms.
- There's no medication approved to treat it, but fatty liver disease can be reversed with exercise and weight loss. NAFLD leads to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which leads to cell damage and inflammation of the liver and eventually cirrhosis. Keep an eye on new weight loss drugs such as Ozempic having an impact in reversing fatty liver disease resulting from metabolic factors.
|
By the digits
|
- 131% increase: An analysis of data from 32,726 adults who participated in that study revealed that overall, NAFLD rose from 16% in 1988 to 37% in 2018, an increase of 131%.
- 61% increase: Among Mexican Americans, the rate of NAFLD was 36% in 1988 and rose to 58% in 2018, an increase of 61%.
- 127% increase: Among African Americans, the rate was 11% in 1988, rising to 25% in 2018, for a 127% increase.
- 133% increase: Among white Americans, the rate in 1988 was 15%, which rose to 35% in 2018, for a whopping 133% increase.
|
|