Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFL) has been referred to as an emerging disease of modernization. It can progress from simple fatty infiltration of the hepatocytes to irreversible liver damage due to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and is associated with a significant risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The term NAFL excludes fatty liver associated with alcoholism and infective hepatitis and restricts to fatty liver associated with metabolic syndromes. NAFL is a significant concern among Indian population. Prevalence varies among studies and ranges between 9%-32%.
A higher incidence is reported among individuals with diabetes. Dyslipidemia, obesity and hypertension are said to increase the risk. Though the highest incidence is reported between 40 to 50 years, NAFL is increasingly being reported among the pediatric population. This may be due to the increasing prevalence…
