Health Update— Delhi and surrounding areas (NCR) are witnessing a sudden rise in the cases of **Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver (NAFLD)** due to poor lifestyle and unbalanced eating habits. According to health experts, this disease is affecting even those people who do not consume alcohol at all. If you do not pay attention to it in time, this problem can turn into serious conditions like liver cirrhosis and liver failure.

Health Update: Risk of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver increased due to bad lifestyle, Doctor said – Negligence can prove costly.

This disease is secretly hollowing the body

According to the data of patients coming to the OPD of Super Specialty Hospital and AIIMS (AIIMS), ** 3 out of every 10 patients coming with stomach related problems in the recent past are found to be suffering from fatty liver. Doctors say that this disease does not show any major symptoms in the beginning, due to which it can also be called ‘silent killer’. By the time the patient feels heaviness or pain, the amount of fat in the liver has increased significantly.

Expert opinion and warnings

“The cases of fatty liver are continuously increasing among the youth coming to us. The main reasons for this are lack of physical activity, excessive junk food consumption and increasing obesity. If lifestyle changes are not made at the right time, it later turns into liver cirrhosis, the only treatment for which is liver transplant.”
— Senior Gastroenterologist, Delhi

Do not ignore these symptoms

According to the health department and doctors, if you are feeling the following symptoms, you should get tested immediately:

• Persistent heaviness or mild pain in the upper right part of the stomach.
• Feeling tired and weak all the time even without doing any heavy work.
• Sudden loss of appetite and rapid weight loss.
• Yellowness in eyes and skin (early signs of jaundice).

What should citizens do to protect themselves?

To protect the liver from this serious danger, doctors have advised the citizens of Delhi-NCR to make some important changes in their daily routine. It is very important to walk or exercise for at least **30 to 45 minutes** daily. Apart from this, immediately reduce the amount of flour, sugar and packed food in your diet and include green vegetables and fruits. Get **Liver Function Test (LFT)** and abdominal ultrasound done at least once a year so that the disease can be identified in the early stages.