In a fatty liver, the liver cells become fatty. Due to unspecific symptoms, doctors often only discover it by accident.
Fatty liver is a common disease in industrialized nations. In Germany, for example, every third adult and every third overweight child suffers from fatty liver that is not caused by alcohol abuse. Doctors distinguish between alcoholic fatty liver disease, AFLD (Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFLD (Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease). However, the distinction cannot always be made clearly, since the latter usually arises from a combination of different causes, such as poor diet, lack of exercise and excessive alcohol consumption. In many of those affected, the liver also becomes fatty over a longer period of time without them noticing. However, if the size and severity of the liver increases, this is usually reflected in several non-specific symptoms.
24vita.de reveals which symptoms can indicate fatty liver.
Although alcohol dependents and severely overweight adults are among the main risk groups, children and adolescents are also developing fatty liver more and more frequently. One speaks of a fatty liver when more than 50 percent of the liver cells are affected by fatty degeneration. Five risk factors can also promote fatty liver. In addition to the wrong diet, this also includes diabetes, for example. According to information on the official website of the University Hospital Zurich, the disease is usually discovered by chance during examinations that are carried out for other reasons. This is often due to the rather unspecific symptoms that fatty liver can trigger.
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. In no way does it replace a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.