Many people associate liver disease with drinking alcohol, and few are aware that being overweight can also cause damage to the liver.
However, the incidence of non-alcohol related fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing at an alarming rate.
63% of UK adults are now classed as obese and overweight, and it’s estimated that one in three have early-stage NAFLD.
What’s more, the risk of damage to the liver from alcohol and obesity combined is what is known as ‘super-additive’ – that is, far greater than simply doubling the effect of either one of the other.
Despite there being good evidence to show that losing 10% of body weight improves liver function in those with NAFLD or its more advanced form, non-alcohol related steatohepatitis (NASH), there is a reluctance among some GPs to discuss weight with their patients.
With NAFLD expected to become the leading cause of end-stage liver disease and liver transplantation over the next decade, we’ve been working to raise awareness of the condition in the media and to reverse the trend.
Thank you to our supporters Alyson Johnson, Gordon Steele and Michael Short who shared their experience of living with NAFLD in the Daily Mirror and the Healthy Food Guide.
