Attraction and growing interest for the fatty liver by the scientific associations

NAFLD is considered to be the most common cause of liver test abnormalities among adults, up to the 10-24% of the general population being affected by NAFLD, with a prevalence rising up to the 50-90% among obese. These data determined a significant interest in the scientific communities. The publications regarding NAFLD increased of 3 folds between 1987 and 1990, of 4,5 folds between 1991 and 1993, of 6,5 folds between 1994 and 1996, of 20 folds between 1997 and 1999 and of 63 and 67 folds in the 2000-2002 and 2002-2004 periods. Approximately the 60% of the published papers appeared in gastroenterological journals, while the 25% of the papers were published on diabetologic journals and the 10% on cardiovascular disease journals. This growing interest has led the most important international scientific associations to organize monotematic conferences specifically on NAFLD and NASH.