Why in news
Global Fatty Liver Day is the premier, international education campaign that is convened by Global Liver Institute annually, on the 2nd Thursday of June (2024 June 13), to raise visibility and urgency around the impact of fatty liver disease, and its more advanced form, on our communities
The theme for International Fatty Liver Day this year is ‘Act Now, Screen Today’
MASLD
The full name for fatty liver disease is metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease or MASLD.
Until recently it was called non-alcohol related fatty liver disease or NAFLD.
The more serious form of the disease is called MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis), previously known as NASH
MASLD and MASH are caused by fat building up in your liver.
This fat irritates and damages your liver, which can lead to scarring.
There is a close link between fatty liver disease and metabolic syndrome, including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol levels.
Individuals with these conditions have high MASLD prevalence rates: 55.5%-59.7% for diabetes, 64.6%-95% for obesity, and 73% for severe metabolic syndrome.
Consuming excessive carbohydrates, especially refined carbs and sugars, worsens these conditions by causing metabolic problems.
When the body has too much glucose, it increases insulin production to help cells absorb the glucose.
However, constantly eating too many carbs causes persistently high insulin levels, leading to insulin resistance, where cells become less responsive to insulin.
Insulin resistance disrupts normal metabolism and promotes the conversion of excess glucose into fatty acids, which are then stored in the liver.
The liver cells fill up with fat, leading to fatty liver.
The main treatment for MASLD is eating healthily, being physically active, and staying at a healthy weight.
These all reduce the amount of fat in your liver, which can slow down, stop and even reverse MASLD and MASH.
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