Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Weekly Wellness - Fatty Liver Disease

The American Liver Foundation and Mayo Clinic define Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease as the accumulation of excess fat in the liver.

Several risk factors have been identified for fatty liver disease. Most (but not all) fatty liver patients are middle-aged and overweight. The risk factors most commonly linked to fatty liver disease are:
  • Overweight (body mass index of 25-30)
  • Obesity (body mass index above 30)
  • Diabetes
  • Elevated triglyceride levels
With the increase in childhood obesity, fatty liver disease is becoming more common in younger generations. According to MSNBC, “some experts think as many as 10 percent of all children and half of those who are obese may suffer from it, but note that few are given the simple blood test that can signal its presence.”

What is the best way to prevent fatty liver?
  • Maintain a healthy weight and normal triglyceride levels.
  • Avoid excess alcohol and other substances that could harm your liver.


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2 comments:

  1. EGJuly 4, 2009 at 10:57 PM

    This is the first I've ever heard of Fatty Liver disease--but am intrigued to know more after reading the post (and specifically the quotes and statistics). I think your blog has shown to have great information and a lot of really helpful resources. Liver disease is something that we've certainly all heard of, but I'd venture to guess that most people don't actually know much about it. I certainly didn't know there were different types!

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  2. bfritzieJuly 5, 2009 at 7:59 AM

    EG-you're absolutely right. There are more than 100 different types of liver disease, most of which the general public are unaware of. In fact, 30 million Americans -1 in 10- are affected by some form of liver disease. The American Liver Foundation website offers a lot of information - I would encourage you to visit their website to read more.

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