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The Burden of NAFLD Worldwide

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Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now considered to be the fastest growing cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Recent estimates suggest that 25% of the world have NAFLD. Although only a small proportion of NAFLD patients will progress to end-stage liver disease and death, due to the sheer number of individuals affected worldwide, the clinical burden of NAFLD is substantial. In fact, NAFLD is now one of the leading causes of cirrhosis and indications for liver transplantation in the United States. Although liver-related mortality is common, the most common cause of death for those with NAFLD is related to cardiovascular diseases. Although most patients with NAFLD are overweight, obese, and have type 2 diabetes, some NAFLD patients may have lower body mass index within the lean threshold. Nevertheless, the higher the number of components of metabolic syndrome, the higher the risk for adverse outcomes, including liver-related mortality. Therefore, clinicians must be vigilant in assessing patients for NAFLD if they have components of metabolic syndrome. In those at risk for potentially progressive form of NAFLD or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or those with hepatic fibrosis, additional assessments must be undertaken. Although life style modification with diet and exercise and selective use of vitamin E and pioglitazone can be recommended, identification of NAFLD patients with significant fibrosis has important prognostic implications.

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Disclosures

ZMY has received research funds or served as consultant to Gilead Sciences, Intercept, NovoNordisk, BMS, Terns, Viking.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, VA, USA

    Zobair Younossi

  2. Betty and Guy Beatty Center for Integrated Research, Inova Health System, Falls Church, VA, USA

    Zobair Younossi & Linda Henry

  3. Center for Outcomes Research in Liver Diseases, Washington, DC, USA

    Linda Henry

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Correspondence to Zobair Younossi .

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  1. Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Gastroentrology and Hepatology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy

    Elisabetta Bugianesi

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Younossi, Z., Henry, L. (2020). The Burden of NAFLD Worldwide. In: Bugianesi, E. (eds) Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95828-6_2

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