If current U.S. obesity trends continue, health experts expect another major health concern: an epidemic of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a major cause of chronic liver disease.
The prevalence of NAFLD is expected to grow by 50 percent by 2030 if today's obesity trends continue during the next 20 years, according to researchers, WebMD.com reports.
"Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is fast becoming one of the top concerns for clinicians due to the obesity epidemic and its potential to progress to advanced liver disease, which significantly impacts on overall liver-related mortality," Mark Thursz, vice secretary of the European Association for the Study of the Liver, says in a news release. "This data highlights a serious concern for the future, and the enormous increasing health burden of NAFLD."
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with obesity, insulin resistance (prediabetes) or diabetes, high blood pressure, and elevated blood fats. It occurs with the buildup of fat in liver cells of people who do not excessively drink alcohol and is the most prevalent liver disorder in Western nations.
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