Rise in number of teens, young adults with non-alcoholic fatty liver
Hindustan TimesMumbai When 16-year-old Sudha S, a Vile Parle resident, was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis recently, her parents were expectedly taken aback, as they associated fatty liver with excessive alcohol intake. Dr Harshad Joshi, gastroenterologist and inflammatory bowel disease specialist, Masina Hospital, recently treated a 22-year-old from Byculla, for non-alcoholic fatty liver While the Class XI student is presently undergoing treatment, her treating doctor and other gastroenterologists have noted a sharp rise in the number of cases of fatty liver leading to liver cirrhosis among young adults. Dr Chetan Kalal, programme director of hepatology and transplant medicine, Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital, and also Sudha’s doctor, said 30 per cent of his OPD patients suffer from non-alcoholic fatty liver. Dr Harshad Joshi, gastroenterologist and inflammatory bowel disease specialist, Masina Hospital, recently treated a 22-year-old from Byculla, for non-alcoholic fatty liver. “At present, 20 per cent of the health check-ups throw up instances of fatty liver and since liver ailments have silent symptoms, some severe cases progress to advance liver disease as cirrhosis,” he said.