BRITAIN could be facing a surge in fatty liver disease cases fuelled by an obesity epidemic, experts have warned. The cancer -causing disease is most commonly seen in individuals who are overweight or obese , and, or have type 2 diabetes . Experts from the British Liver Trust (BLT) fear "increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes and obesity" will bring with it a "fatty liver disease tsunami" Vanessa Hebditch, from the charity, said: “There is a need for greater awareness of the link between diabetes and liver disease.
"It is well known that type 2 diabetes can increase the risk of many health issues including cardiovascular and kidney disease but it can also significantly raise your risk of fatty liver disease.” Fatty liver disease , as the name suggests, refers to an increased build-up of fat inside the liver. Early-stage NAFLD does not usually cause any harm, but it can lead to serious liver damage, including cirrhosis, and cancer if it gets worse.
Having high levels of fat in your liver is also associated with an increased risk of serious health problems, such as diabetes , high blood pressure and kidney disease. According to the BLT two-thirds of people living with type 2 diabetes have NAFLD. Over 4 million people in the UK have type 2 diabetes - with that number predicted to rise by 5 million by 2025.
"This means that the UK could be facing a tsunami of people newly diagnosed with fatty liver disease," Vanessa said. Obesity levels are also on the rise, with estimates .
