You can reverse fatty liver disease through your diet – here’s how

What is fatty liver disease?

“Fatty liver disease is very common, and rates are rising year-on-year,” explains Prof Philip Newsome, clinical advisor to the British Liver Trust and professor of hepatology at King’s College London in King’s College Hospital.

“It’s strongly linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes: as these conditions become more common, so does fatty liver disease.”

Fatty liver is actually one of the first stages of liver disease, explains Prof Laeticia Lichtenstein, lecturer in nutrient and metabolism at the University of Leeds.

“When fat builds up on the liver it triggers inflammation. The liver will try to fight it, but if the same levels of fat continue, the inflammation will keep getting worse,” she says.

“This causes scarring to the liver which is called fibrosis. Ultimately it can lead to cancer.”

The problem is that fatty liver disease has few symptoms. So much so, it’s often called a silent disease.

“Some may feel tired or notice discomfort in the upper right side of the abdomen, but it often goes undetected until it is picked up during blood tests or scans that are done for another reason,” says Newsome.

Thankfully, it’s possible to reverse fatty liver – it’s just important to act quickly.

“If it gets to the later stages, you’re going to need surgical intervention.”