Not a tippler? You too prone to fatty liver, say doctors in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Doctors and health experts said even non-alcoholic persons run the risk of getting fatty liver and about 50 per cent of Indians have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
If advanced cases of fatty liver are not diagnosed in time and treated promptly, they can progress to cirrhosis and liver failure, they warned. They also said there are numerous myths about various categories of fatty liver disease, which is a silent killer because it is often asymptomatic.
"Anyone who has a risk factor for fatty liver such as high cholesterol, high sugar, sedentary lifestyle, obesity or a family history of fatty liver disease or who consumes significant alcohol should be investigated for the presence of fatty liver," said Dr BVN Kumar Sureddi, consultant medical gastroenterologist, SLG Hospitals.
NAFLD is a condition in which fat builds up in one's liver. April 19 is touted as World Liver Day and this day is observed to raise awareness on liver-related diseases and to promote the health of the body's second largest organ after the skin.
"NAFLD is a silent disease," said Dr Sharat Reddy Putta, consultant and head of hepatology department, KIMS Hospitals. There are no global guidelines for NAFLD as to when a patients should go for routine checkups.
"It is a myth that only alcoholics develop this," Dr Sharat said. They will require regular checkups for the rest of their lives, he explained.
According to doctors, liver transplant is the last resort. However, it is not the cure, they said.