| Along with the increasing incidence of | | | | affects more women than men and is found |
| obesity and diabetes in Western | | | | in all age groups, including children. |
| countries, nonalcoholic fatty liver | | | | Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is |
| disease (NAFLD) has also become a | | | | typically diagnosed in middle-aged |
| growing problem. Although its true | | | | people who are overweight, diabetic and |
| prevalence is unknown, some estimates | | | | who have elevated cholesterol and |
| suggest NAFLD may already affect as many | | | | triglyceride levels. A person is |
| as one-third of American adults.NAFLD | | | | considered to have a fatty liver when |
| describes two conditions affecting | | | | the fat makes up at least 10% of the |
| people who drink little or no alcohol. | | | | liver.Causes of Fatty Liver |
| The first is a mild condition, while the | | | | The cause of NAFLD is unclear. The most |
| second represents its progression to a | | | | prominent reasons for accumulation of |
| more severe disease.1. Fatty liver, also | | | | fat in the liver are significant weight |
| known as steatosis, is an accumulation | | | | gain and diabetes mellitus. Fatty liver |
| of fat in the liver that typically does | | | | can also occur with poor diet and |
| not cause liver damage.2. Nonalcoholic | | | | certain illnesses, such as tuberculosis, |
| steatohepatitis (NASH) is the | | | | intestinal bypass surgery for obesity, |
| accumulation of fat in the liver | | | | and specific drugs such as |
| accompanied by hepatic inflammation. | | | | corticosteroids, or heavy alcohol use. |
| Fibrous tissue can form with NASH, which | | | | Eating fatty food by itself does not |
| can progress to cirrhosis or liver | | | | produce a fatty liver. |
| cancer.Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease | | | | |