Thinner your Waistline, Longer your Lifetime
Unhealthy diet and lack of exercise are a few factors that
contribute to Fatty Liver Disease, which is an increasing cause of
concern for docs
CHENNAI: The growing incidences of people with Fatty Liver Disease (FLD) — a condition where the liver weighs five to 10 per cent more than its normal weight — has been an increasing worry for city doctors. They fear that the delay in detection and treatment could make it an epidemic. “We come across at least two people affected with FLD every single day. Most of the diagnosis are incidental — we find it either through ultrasound or while detecting other disorders,” says Dr Shifa Babu, hapatologist at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. She claims that FLD is an ‘Underdiagnosed’ disease. “There is no proper awareness of FLD. If overlooked, it can lead to coma,” she says.
Fatty Liver Disease is mostly found in people who consume huge amounts of alcohol or fatty substances. Experts blame sedentary lifestyle as a major cause. “It’s now being found in people who do not consume alcohol as well. That is another worry,” says Dr P Basumani, medical consultant and gastroenterologist at Fortis Malar hospital. He adds that 95 per cent of people who are treated for jaundice in Fortis suffer from FLD and other liver-related diseases. “A major chunk of people who come to us for jaundice treatment or master check up have FLD. While most seek liver transplant as an option, we cannot even assure the donor of staying risk free after split transplant, as any minor problem in the liver can prove dangerous later. At least 10 per cent of the people in the country die after a liver transplant each year,” he says.
Dr Shifa says that lack of donors has made the liver transplant process all the more difficult. “There are a number of people who come willingly to transplant their livers, but we have no donors. Once the FLD causes the liver to swell and scar over time, it will lead to liver failure or liver cancer, and nothing can be done after that. Even transplant won’t help. In GH, at least three people die every month because of decompensation or failure of liver,” he says.
She says that if patients want to go for transplant, they must do it as soon as their liver scars (cirrhosis). “While there are no specified symptoms, once the disease starts spreading, you can spot swelling in your abdomen and fluid build up in your body. Then, you can wait-list your name for transplant,” she says.
Doctors add that the only way to avoid any complication is by adopting a healthy lifestyle. “Liver is the most important organ in human body and helps produce immunity, blood clotting, etc. Irregular and unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, diabetes and untimely routine, which have become part of everyone’s life, contribute to FLD. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle by consuming proteins and fibre, and maintaining one’s weight is the only way out,” says Dr TK Anand, gastroenterologist at Fortis Malar hospital. “One must always keep in mind that the thinner your waistline, the longer is your lifetime,” he adds.
Healthy Trek
Around 45 people who underwent liver transplant trekked on Tirusulam Hill on World Liver Day (April 19). The event was organised by Live Liver Foundation, Centre for Liver Disease and Transplantation. Dr Anand Khakhar, director of the Liver Programme, said that through the event, the doctors wanted to convey the message that people can live a normal life post liver transplant. The youngest trekker was a nine-year-old Akil from Andhra Pradesh, who underwent liver transplant over a year ago. The participants took about two hours to climb up the Tirusulam Hill.
CHENNAI: The growing incidences of people with Fatty Liver Disease (FLD) — a condition where the liver weighs five to 10 per cent more than its normal weight — has been an increasing worry for city doctors. They fear that the delay in detection and treatment could make it an epidemic. “We come across at least two people affected with FLD every single day. Most of the diagnosis are incidental — we find it either through ultrasound or while detecting other disorders,” says Dr Shifa Babu, hapatologist at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. She claims that FLD is an ‘Underdiagnosed’ disease. “There is no proper awareness of FLD. If overlooked, it can lead to coma,” she says.
Fatty Liver Disease is mostly found in people who consume huge amounts of alcohol or fatty substances. Experts blame sedentary lifestyle as a major cause. “It’s now being found in people who do not consume alcohol as well. That is another worry,” says Dr P Basumani, medical consultant and gastroenterologist at Fortis Malar hospital. He adds that 95 per cent of people who are treated for jaundice in Fortis suffer from FLD and other liver-related diseases. “A major chunk of people who come to us for jaundice treatment or master check up have FLD. While most seek liver transplant as an option, we cannot even assure the donor of staying risk free after split transplant, as any minor problem in the liver can prove dangerous later. At least 10 per cent of the people in the country die after a liver transplant each year,” he says.
Dr Shifa says that lack of donors has made the liver transplant process all the more difficult. “There are a number of people who come willingly to transplant their livers, but we have no donors. Once the FLD causes the liver to swell and scar over time, it will lead to liver failure or liver cancer, and nothing can be done after that. Even transplant won’t help. In GH, at least three people die every month because of decompensation or failure of liver,” he says.
She says that if patients want to go for transplant, they must do it as soon as their liver scars (cirrhosis). “While there are no specified symptoms, once the disease starts spreading, you can spot swelling in your abdomen and fluid build up in your body. Then, you can wait-list your name for transplant,” she says.
Doctors add that the only way to avoid any complication is by adopting a healthy lifestyle. “Liver is the most important organ in human body and helps produce immunity, blood clotting, etc. Irregular and unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, diabetes and untimely routine, which have become part of everyone’s life, contribute to FLD. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle by consuming proteins and fibre, and maintaining one’s weight is the only way out,” says Dr TK Anand, gastroenterologist at Fortis Malar hospital. “One must always keep in mind that the thinner your waistline, the longer is your lifetime,” he adds.
Healthy Trek
Around 45 people who underwent liver transplant trekked on Tirusulam Hill on World Liver Day (April 19). The event was organised by Live Liver Foundation, Centre for Liver Disease and Transplantation. Dr Anand Khakhar, director of the Liver Programme, said that through the event, the doctors wanted to convey the message that people can live a normal life post liver transplant. The youngest trekker was a nine-year-old Akil from Andhra Pradesh, who underwent liver transplant over a year ago. The participants took about two hours to climb up the Tirusulam Hill.
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