Obesity fuelling liver disease
03 Jan 08
Source: BBC News
Obesity has now overtaken alcohol as the number one cause of liver disease.
Experts at King’s College Hospital, one of the UK’s leading liver transplant centres, have warned that fat induced liver disease has now overtaken alcohol and viral infections as the commonest cause of liver disease in Europe and North America.
When someone becomes overweight the liver often can't cope with the fat levels and it starts to store excess fat. This can lead to the liver becoming enlarged and in serious cases the organ can be permanently scarred (cirrhosis). In some cases this damage is so severe that patients require a liver transplant.
There is already a waiting list for liver transplant surgery, and the rise in obesity and fatty liver disease means the problem is likely to get even worse in years to come.
