India's Silent Liver Epidemic: Fatty Liver Affects 100 Million

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is a growing concern in India. It affects an estimated 38% of adults, translating to over 100 million individuals, with India's diabetes epidemic being a major contributing factor. Many remain unaware they have the condition as it often progresses silently.

MASLD can lead to severe liver inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver failure, and cancer over decades. Early detection is challenging as standard tests may miss or underestimate the disease's severity. Advanced tools like FibroScan and MRI techniques offer more accurate assessments.

Reversing MASLD typically involves lifestyle modifications such as weight management, diabetes control, and increased physical activity. Medications like resmetirom and semaglutide are also emerging as treatment options for more advanced stages, though they do not replace lifestyle changes.

India must address MASLD as a public health threat by promoting healthy lifestyles, integrating liver checks into routine care for at-risk individuals, making non-invasive tests accessible, and monitoring those with advanced scarring to prevent irreversible damage and a projected doubling of liver cancers globally by 2050.