Fatty Liver Increasing in Children

Fatty liver disease affects an estimated 80 million to 100 million Americans, including some 75 percent of overweight people and more than 90 percent of people with severe obesity. And researchers now say that an estimated 5 percent to 10 percent of children in the U.S. have nonalcoholic pediatric liver disease, making it as common as asthma among kids.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease occurs when excess fat accumulates in the liver. If left untreated, it can lead to serious liver problems such as fibrosis, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), and liver cancer.

“The main reason fatty liver disease has become an epidemic is that more and more children face obesity,” explained Dr. Charina Ramirez, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Children’s Health, the leading pediatric health system in North Texas, and associate professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “Children affected by obesity have a 38 percent chance of developing fatty liver disease. Obesity is an epidemic of its own, and fatty liver disease mirrors that.”

While there is no medication to reverse or cure fatty liver disease, lifestyle changes can have a big impact on its progression. Ramirez explained that children who are overweight should work with a dietitian to develop a nutrition plan that involves fewer calories, less sugar, and less fat.

Children should also increase their physical activity. “Fatty liver is the gateway to metabolic syndrome, including Type 2 diabetes and eventually heart disease and hypertension,” said Ramirez, “But you can make a positive impact on the risk of future chronic conditions by eating healthy and staying active.”