Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and its prevention

Journal of Food and Clinical Nutrition is a peer reviewed open access journal. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and its prevention is described below.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an umbrella term for a range of liver conditions affecting people who drink little to no alcohol.

Some individuals with NAFLD can develop nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), an aggressive form of fatty liver disease, which is marked by liver inflammation and may progress to advanced scarring (cirrhosis) and liver failure. This damage is similar to the damage caused by heavy alcohol use.

Causes

• Overweight or obesity
• Insulin resistance, in which your cells don't take up sugar in response to the hormone insulin
• High blood sugar (hyperglycemia), indicating prediabetes or type 2 diabetes
• High levels of fats, particularly triglycerides, in the blood

Risk factors

A wide range of diseases and conditions can increase your risk of NAFLD, including:

• High cholesterol
• High levels of triglycerides in the blood
• Metabolic syndrome
• Obesity, particularly when fat is concentrated in the abdomen
• Polycystic ovary syndrome
• Sleep apnea
• Type 2 diabetes
• Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
• Underactive pituitary gland (hypopituitarism)

Complications

The main complication of NAFLD and NASH is cirrhosis, which is late-stage scarring in the liver. Cirrhosis occurs in response to liver injury, such as the inflammation in NASH. As the liver tries to halt inflammation, it produces areas of scarring (fibrosis).If the process isn't interrupted, cirrhosis can lead to:

• Fluid buildup in the abdomen (ascites)
• Swelling of veins in your esophagus (esophageal varices), which can rupture and bleed
• Confusion, drowsiness and slurred speech (hepatic encephalopathy)
• Liver cancer
• End-stage liver failure, which means the liver has stopped functioning

Prevention

To reduce your risk of NAFLD:

• Choose a healthy diet. Choose a healthy plant-based diet that's rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats.
• Maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight or obese, reduce the number of calories you eat each day and get more exercise. If you have a healthy weight, work to maintain it by choosing a healthy diet and exercising.
• Exercise. Exercise most days of the week. Get an OK from your doctor first if you haven't been exercising regularly.

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Managing Editor

Journal of Food and Clinical Nutrition 

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