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Silent liver disease — non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Last reviewed September 2017

What is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease?

Resembles alcoholic liver disease, but occurs in people who drink little or no alcohol.
Build-up of extra fat in the liver causing inflammation and damage, leading to cirrhosis.
Affects 2% to 5 % of Americans but becoming more common.
Most common in people who are middle-aged, overweight or obese, can occur in children.
No symptoms, making early diagnosis tough.
Simple blood test or liver scan can reveal fatty liver disease.

Stages of liver damage include healthy liver, fatty liver, liver fibrosis, and cirrhosis

Are you at risk for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease?

If you have one or more of the below health conditions, speak to your health care provider about ways to lower your risk.

Overweight or obese
Type II diabetes
High cholesterol

Why should I learn about non-alcoholic fatty liver disease?

In the United States, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is:

The leading cause of chronic liver disease in children and adults.
Third-most common reason for liver transplants.
A health diagnosis that can lead to cirrhosis, which is the 12th leading cause of death.

What are treatment options for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease?

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the most important factor to reducing your risks or reversing the disease.

Reduce weight
Follow balanced and healthy diet
Increase physical activity
Avoid alcohol
Avoid unnecessary medications

The contents of this website are for information purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not rely on the information provided for medical decision making and should direct all questions regarding medical matters to their physician or other health care provider. Use of this information does not create an express or implied physician-patient relationship.