Unexpected reasons why young people have fatty liver

Babies who are breastfed for less than six months before starting formula are more likely to develop liver disease by the time they reach adolescence, according to a study.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a condition of fat accumulation in the liver determined by imaging or liver biopsy, after excluding secondary causes of fatty liver such as alcohol, drugs, or diseases such as viral hepatitis... This is the most common liver disorder affecting 1/4 of the adult population.

It occurs when fat builds up in liver cells in people who do not drink too much alcohol and is often associated with obesity and insulin resistance.

Feeding your baby formula too early is also the reason why children are more likely to have fatty liver disease when they grow up.

Findings showed that infants fed formula before 6 months of age were 40% more likely to have NAFLD as adolescents than other children.

Furthermore, children born to mothers who were obese at the start of pregnancy may have twice the risk of developing liver disease in adolescence.

"Maternal weight and consistent breastfeeding may contribute to healthy liver function in infants. These are compelling reasons for parents to breastfeed for at least six months before introducing infant formula," said lead researcher Oyekoya T. Ayonrinde from the University of Western Australia.

Research published in the journal Hepatology found that liver ultrasounds of more than 1,100 adolescents as young as 17 years old found that children born to mothers who smoked at the start of pregnancy also had an increased risk of NAFLD.

The researchers note that this study encourages a comprehensive healthy lifestyle before and during pregnancy and prolongs exclusive breastfeeding for future generations to stay healthy.

According to VNN