Should nonalcoholic fatty liver disease be regarded as a hepatic illness only?

Abstract

The highly increasing prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus in the general population makes nonalcoholic fatty liver disease the most common diagnosis in every-day practices. Lifestyle changes (mainly exercise withdrawal and weight gain) have probably heightened the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Mortality in patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is significantly higher when compared with that of the same age-gender general population. Hepatologists claim to bear a new burden, being Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease strongly linked to systemic diseases. © 2007 WJG. All rights reserved.