GI epidemiology: nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common diagnosis in clinical practice. Insulin resistance and oxidative stress play an important role in NAFLD development and progression.

To review the data available on the epidemiology and natural history of NAFLD as well as the risk factors for its development and the areas where future research is necessary. RESULTS /CONCLUSIONS: NAFLD may affect individuals of any age range and race/ethnicity. NAFLD affects one in three adults and one in ten children/adolescents in the United States. Mortality in patients with NAFLD is significantly higher than in the general population of same age and gender with liver-related complications being a common cause of death. Liver-related morbidity and mortality in NAFLD occurs when the disease has progressed to advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis. Further studies are necessary to determine the impact of NAFLD on health-related quality of life and resources utilization, and to the extent to which preventing the development of the metabolic syndrome would prevent NAFLD development and reduce liver-related morbidity and mortality. Lifestyle intervention may improve NAFLD, but medications that increase insulin sensitivity and the antioxidant defenses in the liver deserve evaluation in carefully controlled trials.