One in five young people have fatty liver disease (steatosis), with one in 40 having already developed liver scarring (fibrosis), research published today [15 January] has found.
One in five young people have fatty liver disease (steatosis), with one in 40 having already developed liver scarring (fibrosis), research published today [15 January] has found. The study, published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, is the first to attempt to determine the prevalence of fatty liver disease and fibrosis in young healthy adults in the UK.
Fatty liver disease is a condition in which fats build up in the cells of the liver. It is broadly split into non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is usually seen in people who are overweight or obese, and alcohol related fatty liver disease, which is associated with harmful levels of drinking. If left untreated both can lead to fibrosis (scarring of the liver) and in severe cases eventually cirrhosis of the liver, which is irreversible. Worldwide NAFLD affects approximately a quarter of adults in developed countries.
The research, conducted by Dr Kushala Abeysekera and researchers from the University of Bristol, looked at data collected from 4,021 participants of the Children of the 90s study also known as Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Based in Bristol, participants from the health study - who had previously been assessed for NAFLD as teenagers using ultrasound - were invited for assessment using transient elastography with FibroScan as part of the Focus @24 clinic.
Read more at University of Bristol
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