Also known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, it refers to a range of liver conditions that are not caused by alcohol. Having too much fat stored in the liver is the main reason for fatty liver disease. And if not caught in its early stages it can progress as far as cirrhosis (liver scarring) and, ultimately, liver failure.
Other signs of fatty liver disease include:
Tiredness, fatigue or a general feeling of lethargy
Discomfort on the upper right side of your tummy
Yellowness of the eyes and skin (jaundice)
Bruising easily
Dark urine
Swelling of the tummy area (ascites)
Vomiting blood
Periods of confusion, forgetting things, mood changes or poor judgement
Itching skin.
Around one in five people in the UK are living with fatty liver disease.
The trust explains: “Rates are increasing with rising levels of obesity.
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There are multiple stages to fatty liver disease that indicate how scarred the liver has become.
If the disease is in its early stages it is possible to slow or even reverse it with exercise and a healthy diet.
However, stage four fatty liver disease – also called cirrhosis – means there is so much scarring it changes the shape of your liver.
This can result in liver cancer and liver failure.