Healthy lifestyle can prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 17

Sedentary lifestyle and other ailments, create problem, which nowadays is turning into “Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease” a silent epidemic.

Dr Ajit Sood, Professor and head of Gastroenterology, at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) said, “Liver is a vital organ regulating the metabolic functions.”

“This non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, essentially, is a disorder of fat metabolism in which fat can accumulate in the liver in excessive amounts,” he said. “Millions of people in India are affected by the fatty liver even though they may not be consuming alcohol,” he added.

“But the good part is that it is a ‘reversible’ condition and can be easily managed by maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” he said.

“However, if attention is not paid, it can cause serious health problems. Around 15 to 20 per cent of persons having fatty liver disease tend to have a more severe form nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). If not treated, it leads to cirrhosis and then to liver cancer,” he added.

“In Punjab, the prevalence of the disease is high and the cause is the sedentary lifestyle and preference of junk food, which causes obesity and diabetes,” said Dr Sood said.

“In order to have a healthy liver people should avoid sedentary lifestyle, late night eating and junk food,” he added.