Fatty liver disease is a common condition affecting people all over the globe, both who consume alcohol and the ones who don't. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is commonly described as having too much fat tissue around the liver caused by factors other than alcohol consumption.
There are various contributors to this disease, among which are dietary habits and weight.
The Prevalence Of NAFLD In The United States
In the United States, the liver-related mortality has ranked within the top 12 leading causes of death among adults in the past two decades. When it comes to the age group from 45 to 54 years, liver-related diseases were listed as the fourth cause of death, according to a study on the prevalence of NAFLD in the United States. At the same time, the data presented by that research suggested a lower rate of NAFLD among young people.
The accumulation of extra fat in liver cells, also called fatty liver disease (FLD), is the fastest growing cause of liver disease, both in Western and developing countries and in people who consume alcohol and the ones who don't. Approximately 30 percent of the people in Western countries are affected by liver disease. Out of these, 9.6 percent of all children and 38 percent of all obese children suffer from liver disease, including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a less aggressive form of NAFLD.
NAFLD affects up to 25 percent of the population across the United States, and the most effective ways of preventing this condition are keeping a healthy weight, eating healthily, exercising, and limiting the alcohol intake.
A liver is considered fatty when more than 5 to 10 percent of the liver's weight consists of fat tissue. Among the groups who are most generally exposed to developing this condition, people who suffer from obesity, diabetes, or have high levels of cholesterol are more likely to suffer from a fatty liver.
Generally, NAFLD is not accompanied by symptoms. However, when these do occur, they usually take the form of weakness, weight loss, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, or abdominal pain.
"Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is thought to be the most common chronic liver disease in the Western world. [...] The prevalence of NAFLD was substantially higher among Mexican Americans compared with non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks and among men compared with women. Across race and sex categories, the prevalence of NAFLD was lower among people aged 20 to 39 years compared with those aged over 40 years," noted a study published in 2013.
NAFLD, Potentially Correlated With Fructose
Fructose intake may increase the concentrations of serum uric acid, and fructose consumption may be higher in people who suffer from NAFLD. New research suggests that serum uric acid concentrations and dietary habits of consuming fructose are independently associated with NASH.
According to the study, it's entirely possible for the fructose intake and the uric acid concentrations to be risk factors when it comes to the progress of NAFLD. The results of the study were published in the Journal of Hepatology.
The independent existence of high uric acid in higher concentrations among people who suffer from this disease has been previously confirmed by a series of studies. However, no other research has analyzed the interdependence of these concentrations and fructose consumption.
