Sedentary lifestyle linked to fatty liver disease, say experts

Ahmedabad: The recently launched Health of the Nation 2025 report indicated that out of 2.5 lakh individuals screened, 65% were found to have fatty liver, a condition where the liver has fat deposits. With about 52% of them having normal liver enzyme levels, it was identified with radio imaging. The report also underlined obesity as a major risk factor, with 76% of those with liver issues having obesity and 82% having diabetes.

The city hosted the REACH (Recent Advances and Controversies in Hepatology) conference on Saturday and Sunday, with experts from India and abroad. The conference, hosted by Apollo Hospitals, focused on use of technology and new trends in liver diseases, cancer, and transplantation.

"Compared to the past decade, there was surely a rise in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is now also identified as Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MDSLD). It is closely linked to lifestyle choices. There is more focus on it now, perhaps due to the fact that we are now identifying more cases at an earlier stage due to better diagnostics," said Dr Chirag Desai, organizing chairman of the event.

Dr Guruprasad Shetty, a liver transplant specialist, said that childhood obesity is emerging as a major risk factor for liver disease at a later stage. Dr Tasneem Pirani from the UK said that even those with relatively slim body profiles are developing liver diseases.