Childhood Obesity And Liver Disease A Serious Public Health Concern In England

Coming to other countries near you.

Up to half-a-million overweight/obese children in England have a significant risk of developing "fatty liver disease", Professor Martin Lombard, the country's National Clinical Director for Liver Disease has warned.

Fatty liver disease, also known in this case as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is a condition in which fat accumulates in the liver, it can cause inflammation and liver scarring. Many patients have no signs or symptoms. Severe fatty liver disease is sometimes called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. In severe cases the condition can progress to liver failure.

Prof. Lombard said that excessive fat in liver cells undermines its proper function, raising the risk of having a stroke or heart attack. The risk of cirrhosis of the liver and diabetes later in life is high.

Fatty liver disease can have many causes, including obesity, diabetes, corticosteroids, some poisons (such as carbon tetrachloride and yellow phosphorus), Cushing's syndrome, and hyperlipidemia (high fat levels in blood). It can also be caused by long-term high alcohol consumption, in which case it is called Alcoholic Liver Disease - there are three stages: Alcoholic fatty liver disease, Alcoholic hepatitis, and Cirrhosis.

Fatty liver disease during childhood is mainly caused by overweight/obesity.

Nutritional child abuse.

Nail the parents and the enablers.