‘Fatty liver’ may be more common than previously thought

More than 2 out of 5 U.S. adults, including almost half of Hispanics, have a common type of liver disease, a recent study out of Virginia Commonwealth University suggests.

Researchers analyzed 2017-2018 data from nearly 5,600 adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They found that 42% had metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, previously known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. That’s higher than past estimates.

Further, MASLD – “a broad term for conditions where fat builds up in the liver and damages the liver tissue,” VCU says – impacted 47% of Hispanic participants.

“This study highlights a significant health issue that affects a large portion of the U.S. population, and it shows that certain groups are at a higher risk,” said Juan Pablo Arab, study co-author and a hepatologist at VCU. “We hope these findings will guide more targeted health interventions to reduce the burden of liver disease, especially in high-risk communities.”

The researchers add that early detection and management of MASLD and addressing risk factors such as obesity and diabetes are “key to preventing more serious liver problems down the road.”

The American Liver Foundation says the liver, which is about the size of a football and weighs 3 to 3.5 pounds, “performs many vital functions.” Among them:

• Filtering toxins from blood
• Managing blood clotting
• Producing bile to digest fat
• Storing sugar for energy
• Turning extra glucose into glycogen
• Making protein for blood plasma
• Helping with digestion

The study was published in the journal Nature Communications Medicine.