VietNamNet Bridge – The number of people suffering from fatty liver disease is increasing, especially among young people, according to Assistant Professor Pham Thi Thu Ho, vice chairwoman of the Viet Nam Digestology Association.


Men drink beer at a local function. Fifty per cent of alcoholics have fatty livers, one third of whom suffers from hepatitis. (Photo: VNS)
Addressing a conference, themed "Fatty liver, liver disease and medical treatment", in Ha Noi yesterday, Ho emphasised that the disease, usually found among the obese, was becoming more common among young and thin people.

A fatty liver, the result of an accumulation of excess fat in liver cells, is caused by gastritis, medical poisoning, hepatitis A, B, C and alcoholism.

Studies in Viet Nam reveal that 75 per cent of obese people, and those with type 2 diabetes, suffer from fatty liver disease, 3 per cent of which being children.

Fifty per cent of alcoholics have fatty livers, one third of which suffers from hepatitis.

Ho warned that fatty livers could lead to cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer.

Statistics from the Viet Nam Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Association revealed that a majority of alcoholics were men aged from 20 to 30.

Ho said that people amass fat cells in their livers when drinking alcohol, explaining that cells would return to normal if alcohol consumption ceases.

If more than 30 grams of alcohol is consumed per day, drinkers faced a high risk of having fatty livers, she said, adding that each can of beer contained around 10-12 grams of alcohol.

Around 2.8-28 per cent of the world population suffers from fatty livers, the percentage in line with the rate of obesity, fatty blood and type 2 diabetes.

There are often no symptoms associated with fatty livers. If there are any they usually include pain under the rib cage on the right side of the body, swelling of the abdomen, jaundice and fever. Symptoms that occur less often include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and abdominal pain.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News