A new study from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics found that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease diagnosis has soared in the last three decades.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the term doctors use for individuals who have liver damage that isn't due to alcohol. This syndrome is instead caused by fat in the liver.
The survey also found that Hispanic Americans, especially those of Mexican descent, are disproportionately affected by NAFLD. In general, white Americans are not diagnosed with this disease as often, the rates among this group have an increased risk at twice the rate of increase seen in Hispanic Americans.
How NAFLD develops
Those with obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other diet-related issues are at an increased risk for developing NAFLD, although this disease can develop without any outside factors. According to a survey by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NAFLD rose from 16 per cent in 1988 to 37 per cent in 2018, an increase of 131 per cent.
“More and more people are getting extra fat in their livers,” said co-author Dr Theodore Friedman, an endocrinologist and professor of medicine at both the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science and the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. “It’s a disease that develops because people are eating poorly and not exercising,” he said.
“I always tell patients to eat more vegetables," the doctor continues.
It’s possible that NAFLD in thin people is related to other metabolic issues, said Dr Lisa Ganjhu, a gastroenterologist and hepatologist at NYU Langone Health.
“You don’t have to be obese,” Ganjhu said, adding that thin people sometimes have high blood cholesterol levels, for example.
Hidden symptoms of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
This disease is nicknamed "a silent liver disease," according to Hopkins Medicine. Most individuals with NAFLD live with fat in their liver without developing liver damage.
Untreated NAFLD, or NASH, the name for the syndrome of having fat in the liver that isn't causing liver damage, can lead to life-threatening conditions, including cirrhosis, and cancer.
Common symptoms not to ignore include:
Severe tiredness
Weakness
Weight loss
Yellowing of the skin or eyes
Spiderlike blood vessels on the skin
Long-lasting itching
Fluid retention
Internal bleeding
Muscle wasting
Confusion
NAFLD and NASH can also occur without any symptoms, which is why it is vital to occasionally have your liver checked, especially over the age of 40, or if you already suffer from some health issues caused by obesity, high blood pressure, or elevated cholesterol levels.
