World Liver Day 2023: 5 Major Reasons of Fatty Liver And It’s Serious Complications

Fatty liver is the first stage in which excess fats in the body start accumulating in the liver.

Liver disorder is a dangerous and irreversible condition that impacts more than 3 lakh people in India. It has a disease burden of 18% globally. There are different types of liver diseases that can impact a person, including fatty liver, bile duct disease, hepatitis, and jaundice.

What is a Fatty Liver?

Fatty liver is the first stage of a liver disorder in which excess fats in the body start accumulating in the liver. This fat is usually harmless at the beginning and does not impact liver function to a great extent. It is mostly asymptomatic, and not many people are able to diagnose it promptly. This leads to the development of an even worse condition called cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver.

Causes:

Fatty liver can occur for many reasons, including:

1. Alcohol intake: Alcohol consumption is the primary reason behind the development of alcoholic fatty liver disease.
2.  Obesity: Excess body fat in the whole body increases the likelihood of fat accumulation in the liver. If the liver is unable to process and break down fat deposits efficiently for long periods of time, it ends up causing impairment in liver function. Unhealthy eating and a sedentary lifestyle are factors that lead to increased obesity.
3. Metabolic abnormalities: A group of physiological errors such as the presence of cardiovascular diseases, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes can increase the chances of a fatty liver if they are not treated on time. This also increases the risk of end-stage liver disease.
4. Rapid weight loss: Rapidly losing weight from the body may put oxidative stress on the liver and increase the risk of fatty liver disease.
5. Genetics: Certain genetic factors can also cause fatty liver disease as they impact the way the body stores and metabolises fat.

End-stage fatty liver disease can lead to critical liver damage and may also cause liver failure and fatality. Early diagnosis and treatment are key to preventing fatty liver disease from worsening. Although fatty liver disease does not show specific symptoms, there are a few symptoms that hint towards the disease, like consistent abdominal pain, nausea, jaundice, and chronic fatigue. These symptoms must be identified and diagnosed by a medical practitioner at the earliest possible time

(Inputs: Dr. Manish Kak, Consultant – Gastroenterology, Manipal Hospitals, Ghaziabad)