Auntie Liu is 51 years old and does not smoke or drink alcohol. A few days ago, Auntie Liu got the physical examination report just done, but was told that she had fatty liver, transaminases and mildly elevated. Auntie Liu is very puzzled, her height is 168 cm, weight 65 kg, neither fat, and do not drink alcohol, friends envy her a good body, how will get fatty liver it?
Isn’t it only fat people who get fatty liver? With these questions, Auntie Liu came to the hospital for a review. After doing abdominal ultrasound and non-invasive liver hardness + fat content measurement, the doctor told her that she was indeed suffering from fatty liver. What’s going on?
“Lean fatty liver” is not a minority
With the improvement of living standards and lifestyle changes, the incidence of fatty liver is increasing year by year and has become the main cause of chronic liver disease and even cirrhosis and liver cancer in China. People often think that fatty liver is something only fat people have. Indeed, fatty liver and obesity are inseparable, and obese people are more likely to combine fatty liver.
But clinically more and more fatty liver patients look in good shape, which is called “aura fatty liver” or “non-obese fatty liver”.
Generally, we measure obesity by body mass index (BMI). The latest data show that on average, one in six people with a normal body mass index has fatty liver, a number that should not be underestimated. Some of them may also develop steatohepatitis, resulting in elevated transaminases and even liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. Therefore, it must be taken seriously.
How do thin people get targeted by fatty liver?
In fact, “thin” is relative, only using the body mass index to measure fat and thin has its one-sidedness. For example, Auntie Liu, although her body mass index is normal, but her waist circumference grew to 85 cm, nearly a year there is a significant accumulation of abdominal fat, and the body mass index is not an accurate reflection of the fat distribution.
In other words, some people with normal body mass index but abnormal fat distribution and elevated abdominal and visceral fat content are also prone to fatty liver. Second, poor diet structure is an important culprit of fatty liver. A diet high in fructose and cholesterol, such as long-term consumption of sweetened beverages and fried foods, is very likely to cause fatty liver. Combined diabetes and hyperlipidemia can also increase the risk of fatty liver.
In addition, fatty liver in thin people may be associated with carrying certain susceptibility genes, intestinal micro-ecological environment, and lack of exercise resulting in reduced muscle mass.
What should I do if I have fatty liver in thin people?
The first step is to change poor lifestyle habits, increase exercise, adjust the structure of the diet, and avoid consuming too many sweets, especially foods and drinks with high fructose content, not to mention alcohol. These patients can still improve their fatty liver by reducing their weight, although their weight is relatively normal. At present, there is no specific medicine for fatty liver, and regular monitoring of the disease is required along with lifestyle improvement.
It is generally recommended to review liver and kidney function, blood glucose, blood lipids, and abdominal ultrasound every six months at the hospital, where non-invasive liver hardness + fat content measurement can be a convenient and simple way to monitor the liver condition. If aggravation is detected, liver tissue aspiration can be performed if necessary to more accurately assess the severity of fatty liver.
It is also important to actively treat comorbid metabolic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus.
