‘84% IT employees’ have fatty liver disease: What are symptoms? How to treat? When to see doctor? All you need to know

About 84 per cent of Information Technology (IT) employees have Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD), revealed a study conducted by scientists at the University of Hyderabad. The study noted that the IT sector in India employs over 5.4 million people.

The study also found that approximately 71 percent of IT employees were obese and about 34 percent had metabolic syndrome — “a cluster of diseased conditions that increase the risk of fatty liver, obesity, diabetes and increased blood pressure.”

The research was conducted by the University of Hyderabad scientists Professor Kalyankar Mahadev and Professor CT Anitha along with their research scholars Bharam Bhargava and Nanditha Pramod, in collaboration with senior hepatologist Dr. PN Rao and his team from the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG) hospital.

What is this fatty liver disease? What’s causing this disease among Indian IT employees? How serious can it be? How to treat it? When should you consult a doctor? Here’s all you need to know:

What is this fatty liver disease?

The study defines fatty liver disease as “a health crisis” which occurs when more than 5 percent of fat builds up in the liver due to various behavioral and metabolic risk factors.

Meanwhile, Mayo Clinic said non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a liver problem that affects people who drink little to no alcohol. “In NAFLD, too much fat builds up in the liver. It is seen most often in people who are overweight or obese.”

Is it called fatty liver disease or steatotic liver disease?

Fatty liver disease is now known as “Steatotic liver disease (SLD)”. According to Cleveland Clinic, “steatosis” is a term healthcare providers use to describe fat buildup in an organ — usually your liver.

What are the types of fatty liver disease?

1. Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD): In this case, fatty liver disease occurs because of excessive alcohol consumption.

2. MAFLD or MASLD (Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic [fatty] liver disease): MASLD was earlier referred to as non-alcohol related fatty liver disease (NASLD) because the steatosis (fatty) isn’t associated with heavy alcohol consumption.

In MAFLD, the culprit is “cardiometabolic risk factors”, Cleveland Clinic stated. These factors include conditions and characteristics that pose risks to your heart health.

What causes fatty liver disease? What are behavioral and metabolic risk factors?

The UoH study revealed that “sedentary lifestyle is a hallmark of the IT sector employees involving long hours of sitting at desk, work-related stress, inadequate sleep, shift work, unhealthy diet such as intake of high-calorie diet, sugar-sweetened beverages and lack of physical activity”.

These factors are “fuelling the risk of several non-communicable diseases including fatty liver disease called Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD),” the study stated.

Certain health conditions are closely linked to MASLD, including obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high triglycerides, may also lead to extra fat in the liver or MASLD.

Meanwhile, Johns Hopkins University explained that MAFLD or MASLD is when fat builds up in liver because of extra body weight, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure.

Cleveland Clinic states that MAFLD or MASLD (fatty liver disease) also applies if you consume small amounts of alcohol weekly. “Small amounts means less than 140 grams per week for females and less than 210 grams per week for males. For reference, in the US, one standard, 12-oz. beer contains about 14 grams of alcohol,” the reported added.

Fatty liver disease can also result from causes other than alcohol use or cardiometabolic risk factors. “For example, various medications and diseases can cause steatosis. Sometimes, healthcare providers can’t identify a specific cause. SLD without a clear cause is called cryptogenic SLD [Steatotic Liver disease],” Cleveland Clinic explained.

Who is at risk for fatty liver disease?

Children and young adults can get this disease. But it is most common in middle age. Risk factors include:

1. Having excess weight, especially having too much belly fat

2. Having high blood fat levels (either triglycerides or LDL cholesterol)

3. Having type 2 diabetes or prediabetes

4. Having high blood pressure

How severe can be fatty liver disease?

If unchecked, the condition can progress to severe forms of liver diseases like cirrhosis and cancer.

According to Mayo Clinic, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease ranges in severity from hepatic steatosis, called fatty liver, to a more severe form of disease called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or Metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).

In the case of NASH, fat buildup progresses to inflammation, then tissue damage and scarring (fibrosis).

“NASH causes the liver to swell and become damaged due to the fat deposits in the liver. NASH may get worse and may lead to serious liver scarring, called cirrhosis, and even liver cancer. This damage is like the damage caused by heavy alcohol use,” the report added.

Sometimes liver damage from MASH causes long-term scarring and hardening of your liver. This is called cirrhosis. It also increases risk for liver cancer.

Fatty liver disease: What are the symptoms?

NAFLD often has no symptoms. When it does, they may include fatigue, not feeling well, or malaise, pain or discomfort in the upper right belly area, as per Mayo Clinic.

Possible symptoms of NASH and cirrhosis, or severe scarring, include: Itchy skin, abdominal swelling, also called ascites (uh-SY-teez), shortness of breath, swelling of the legs, spider-like blood vessels just beneath the skin’s surface, enlarged spleen, red palms, yellowing of the skin and eyes, or jaundice.

MASH that turns into cirrhosis could cause these symptoms:

1. Extra fluid buildup (fluid retention)

Can fatty liver disease kill you?

Many people with SLD or fatty liver disease have a normal life expectancy. However, untreated cirrhosis of the liver eventually leads to liver failure or liver cancer, Cleveland Clinic reported.

How to prevent yourself from getting fatty liver disease?

These may possibly reduce the incidence of fatty liver:

1. One must undergo regular and periodic health check-ups and screening for fatty liver.

2. They must follow along with proper work-life balance and stress management programs.

3. Avoid alcohol. No amount of alcohol is known to be fully safe once you have MASH.

5. Take medications to manage metabolic conditions

6. Get vaccinated for hepatitis A and hepatitis B

8. Eating a diet low in fat and simple carbohydrates

9. Seeing a liver specialist

When should you see a doctor?

One must make an appointment with a doctor if they have lasting symptoms that worry them. You can call your healthcare provider if you have any symptoms that mean metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease is getting worse. These are:

1. Severe tiredness (fatigue)

5. Extra fluid buildup (fluid retention)

What questions should I ask doctor?

1. How much damage does my liver have?

2. How long will it take to reverse the liver damage?

3. Am I taking any medications that could contribute to fatty liver?

4. What’s a healthy weight for me?

5. How can I get treatment for alcohol use disorder?