Developmental Origins of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. Its prevalence is currently increasing not only in developed obese countries but also in developing countries. Recent findings from human cohorts and animal studies suggest that a nutritional imbalance in the early critical period is causatively associated with the incidence of NAFLD in later life. Based on the current theory of the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD), undernourishment and overnourishment in utero are both hypothesized to prime the predisposition for hepatic fat storage. Current knowledge on the developmental origins of NAFLD is introduced in this chapter.