Our lifestyle choices may be putting us at an increased risk of fatty liver be it eating junk food or being inactive.
As the technology moves forward and we increasingly become more dependent on electronic devices, our lifestyle has undergone a massive change. Being sedentary has made us susceptible to a range of diseases from diabetes, blood pressure, to heart disease. In recent decades, cases of NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) are increasing. The problem has been seen across age groups and the condition has been rising alarmingly. The abnormal deposit of fats on liver is referred as fatty liver. Excess accumulation of fat in your liver could cause symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite, swelling in legs, fatigue among other symptoms.
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While there are no early signs of it and in some cases, it goes unnoticed but higher degree of fat build-up could multiply the problems. Diabetic and obese people are most susceptible to it but it can affect anyone one leading unhealthy lifestyle, who is malnourished or eat excess of junk foods. Though it is always advisable to take preventive measures but the good thing about fatty liver once detected early is that it can be reversed completely by modifying lifestyle and adopting a fitness regime. In advanced stages, the disease may progress to cirrhosis which leads to permanent damage in the liver and cause liver failure. It can also lead to liver cancer.
“Over the last 2 decades, people being diagnosed with fatty liver in an otherwise normal abdominal ultrasound report is growing in Indian population. My patients often become anxious about why and what to do next. Fatty liver, as the name suggests, is nothing but excess deposition of fat in the liver.
Our lifestyle has changed grossly these days, and a couple of them have a significant role in a fatty liver,” says Dr Arka Mukhopadhyay MBBS, MD Medicine, Consultant Physician.
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HABITS THAT COULD CAUSE FATTY LIVER
Dr Mukhopadhyay goes on to explain the lifestyle factors that can lead to fatty liver.
Food habits
“First one is our food habit. Our staple diet has changed from grains, dals, vegetables, dairy products to burgers, sandwiches, fried chickens etc. We often eat not because we are hungry, but as we love to eat,” Dr Mukhopadhyay adds.
Sedentary lifestyle
“Coupled with the food habit changes, the second factor is our lack physical activities. We no longer walk or cycle to reach a destination, our cars, bikes and buses take care of that. Children used to play in the grounds, be it cricket, football or something else, but these days they play with their mobile phones or consoles,” says the expert.
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Junk food
“Food is the source of energy which takes care of our physical needs. But we are consuming more than we need, and doing fewer physical activities to burn them. As a result, fat, which is a form of stored energy, keeps heaping up in our tissues, and liver being the kitchen in our bodies, stores the most. Not just liver, fat gets deposited in other tissues including our blood vessels. And this is a matter of concern, as like western countries, stroke, heart attack, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity relate diseases are on the rise in our population too,” says Dr Mukhopadhyay.
Can fatty liver be reversed?
Dr Mukhopadhyay says fatty liver in its earlier stage often does not require medicines and consuming less calories, particularly oils and fats, eating more vegetables and fruits can stop the process in the beginning.
“Avoid living a sedentary life. 30-60 minutes of paced walk in a day for at least 5 days a week makes a lot difference. If you hold a smart-watch or a smart-phone, make it a habit to walk more than 5000 steps each day. Apart from improving fatty liver grades, it comes with added benefits of improved sugar control in diabetics, reduction in blood pressure in hypertensives, reduction of weight in obese, improved acidity symptoms and a better sleep with a happier mental state. And do feel free consult your doctor for the necessary investigations like cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure etc. and to know if further medicines required,” concludes the expert.
