Health Risks of Being Overweight & Obesity | How to lose weight fast Health Risks of Being Overweight | Page 12

Fatty Liver Disease
Fatty liver disease, also known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), occurs when fat
builds up in the liver and causes injury. Fatty liver disease may lead to severe liver
damage, cirrhosis(scar tissue), or even liver failure. Fatty liver disease usually produces
mild or no symptoms. It is like alcoholic liver disease, but it isn't caused by alcohol and
can occur in people who drink little or no alcohol.
How is fatty liver disease linked to overweight?
The cause of fatty liver disease is still not known. The disease most often affects people
who are middle-aged, overweight or obese, and/or diabetic. Fatty liver disease may also
affect children.
How can weight loss help?
Although there is no specific treatment for fatty liver disease, patients are generally
advised to lose weight, eat a healthy diet, increase physical activity, and avoid drinking
alcohol. If you have fatty liver disease, lowering your body weight to a healthy range may
improve liver tests and reverse the disease to some extent.
NASH Clinical Research Network
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases funds the NASH
Clinical Research Network, which comprises eight clinical centers located throughout the
United States and a coordinating center at The Johns Hopkins University. The NASH
network researches the nature and underlying cause of NASH and conducts clinical
studies on prevention and treatment.
Kidney Disease
Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that filter blood, removing extra water and
waste products, which become urine. Your kidneys also help control blood pressure so
that your body can stay healthy. Kidney disease means that the kidneys are damaged and
can't filter blood like they should. This damage can cause wastes to build up in the body.
It can also cause other problems that can harm your health.