NCD Watch

Be Aware of Fatty Liver

30 May 2011 (Mon)

Fatty liver (or fatty liver disease) is the collection of too much fat inside liver cells. While excessive alcohol intake is an important cause of fatty liver, development of fatty liver is also strongly associated with obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, high blood lipids and high blood pressure. Other causes of fatty liver also include some nutritional factors (e.g. rapid weight loss), use of certain medications (e.g. steroids or oestrogens) and infections (e.g. infection with the AIDS virus or hepatitis C virus).

In Hong Kong, an earlier study showed that 15.9% of Chinese adults aged 20 - 65 had non-alcoholic fatty liver. Among obese children aged 7-18 years, 77% of them (81% for boys; 68% for girls) had radiological evidence of fatty liver.

As liver performs many important functions, including changing food into energy and removing harmful substances from our blood, taking good care of our liver is of utmost importance. To reduce the risk of developing fatty liver, members of the public should maintain an optimal body weight and waistline; eat a balanced diet; be physically active; refrain from drinking; keep blood glucose level, blood lipid levels and blood pressure in check; and use medications carefully.