What is fatty liver disease?
Fatty liver disease means excess fat has built up in the liver. It was long split into alcohol-related and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In 2023, international liver societies proposed a new name, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), to highlight its ties to obesity and diabetes (Rinella et al., 2023). About a quarter of adults worldwide were estimated to have NAFLD (Younossi et al., 2016).
This article is general health information and is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment. If symptoms persist, see a doctor.
Why does it matter?
| Stage | What's happening |
|---|---|
| Simple steatosis | Fat only; usually no symptoms |
| Steatohepatitis | Liver cell injury and inflammation |
| Fibrosis and cirrhosis | Scar tissue builds up and liver function declines |
Most people have no symptoms and learn about it from abnormal liver enzymes (ALT, AST) or an ultrasound. People with fatty liver often also have high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome and higher heart disease risk.
How do you manage it?
The most reliable fix is weight loss; even losing a modest share of body weight often reduces liver fat. Cutting sugary drinks and refined carbs, regular aerobic and strength exercise and limiting alcohol are the basics, along with treating diabetes or high cholesterol.
FAQ
- Can thin people get fatty liver?
- Yes. Even at a normal weight, belly fat or low muscle mass can lead to it.
- Can fatty liver be reversed?
- Simple fatty liver and early steatohepatitis can improve with lifestyle changes.
Sources reviewed: 2026-10-25
References
- Rinella, M. E., Lazarus, J. V., Ratziu, V., et al. (2023). A multisociety Delphi consensus statement on new fatty liver disease nomenclature. Hepatology, 78(6), 1966–1986.
- Younossi, Z. M., Koenig, A. B., Abdelatif, D., et al. (2016). Global epidemiology of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease—Meta-analytic assessment of prevalence, incidence, and outcomes. Hepatology, 64(1), 73–84.