Mexico’s Ministry of Health reports that fatty liver disease affects up to 30% of the global population, making it one of the leading causes of chronic liver dysfunction.<\/p>\n
Dr. Aldo Torre Delgadillo, gastroenterologist and hepatologist at ABC Medical Center, explains that fatty liver disease is a metabolic condition mainly caused by being overweight, high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated triglycerides, and high cholesterol, as well as emerging causes such as polycystic ovary syndrome, thyroid disorders, or sleep apnea.<\/p>\n
As a result of these underlying conditions, fat starts to build up in the liver, a condition that usually causes no symptoms, which is often why it goes undetected in its early stages.<\/p>\n
Fatty liver disease can also result from a genetic predisposition, and given that Mexico has the highest rate of childhood obesity in the world, this condition can start showing up in children at a very young age.<\/p>\n
Within the broader landscape of health in Mexico, fatty liver disease among children continues to rise, driven in part by low levels of physical activity or sports participation, high intake of simple sugars, and poorly balanced diets.<\/p>\n
Another key factor in the progression of fatty liver disease, notes Dr. Torre, occurs during adolescence. Between ages 14 and 15, teens typically start going out with friends, and this is often when they have their first experience with alcohol, which can compound the damage, often resulting in a dual impact from both fat accumulation in the liver and elevated alcohol consumption. <\/p>\n
The natural progression of this disease therefore involves a combination of genetics, metabolic dysfunction, the gut microbiome, environmental factors, and inflammation generated by the disease itself. When inflammation becomes persistent, it triggers fibrosis, the formation of scar tissue in the liver, and if left untreated, this can eventually progress to cirrhosis. In its early stages, cirrhosis is considered “compensated,” meaning no secondary complications have developed yet; in advanced stages, it progresses to “decompensated” cirrhosis, marked by serious clinical complications. For this reason, the primary medical goal is to prevent fatty liver disease in the first place and stop its progression to cirrhosis.<\/p>\n
Given all of this, the foundation for treating fatty liver disease is early detection through preventive medicine screening, which can include a complete blood chemistry panel with liver function tests, lipid levels, and glucose.<\/p>\n
If caught early, this condition can be reversed with a plan focused on improving the patient’s lifestyle, including a healthy diet and appropriate exercise. It’s important to understand that every case is unique and requires personalized care. Depending on each patient’s situation, the doctor will need to address either fibrosis risk or cardiac risk and provide treatment tailored to the disease’s predominant phenotype, that is, the physical or clinical characteristics that can be observed.<\/p>\n
The key is managing the underlying metabolic causes behind this condition, for example, controlling blood pressure in patients with hypertension, blood glucose in those with diabetes, weight in patients with obesity, and lipid levels in those with elevated triglycerides and cholesterol. All of this will have a positive impact and help prevent fat from accumulating in the liver.<\/p>\n
If the disease progresses to cirrhosis, there are specific treatments available while it’s still in the compensated stage; however, if it progresses to the decompensated stage, the patient may become a candidate for a liver transplant, though the goal of treatment is always to avoid reaching that point of risk.<\/p>\n
Dr. Torre emphasizes the importance of people knowing that in some Mexican states, up to 60% of the population has some level of fatty liver disease, while the national average is 50%. This means that around 65 million people in Mexico have fatty liver disease, and of that group, 10% have already progressed to cirrhosis due to a lack of early diagnosis.<\/p>\n
At ABC Medical Center\u2019s Internal Medicine area, we can provide you with specialized care. Contact us!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Mexico’s Ministry of Health reports that fatty liver disease affects up to 30% of the global population, making it one of the leading causes of chronic liver dysfunction. Dr. Aldo Torre Delgadillo, gastroenterologist and hepatologist at ABC Medical Center, explains that fatty liver disease is a metabolic condition mainly caused by being overweight, high blood […]<\/p>\n