Liver fatty disease affects 70% of overweight individuals

Gastroenterology specialist Prof. Dr. Zülfikar Polat warns that fatty liver disease can progress silently into chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and increased liver cancer risk. Statistics indicate that 70% of individuals with excess weight and 90% of diabetic patients suffer from fatty liver.

There is a distinction between simple fatty liver and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASH), where fat accumulation is accompanied by inflammation and cell damage. This progression can lead to fibrosis, liver hardening, and portal hypertension.

Experts emphasize that unless advanced cirrhosis has developed, the condition can be largely reversed through lifestyle changes, specifically proper nutrition and regular exercise to combat insulin resistance. In Turkey, obesity rates are a significant concern, with data from the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health placing the country at the top of Europe with an obesity rate of approximately 32%.