Swedish researchers find that many patients with a common liver disease will eventually become diabetic.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NFLD) is a buildup of fat in liver cells that is not caused by alcohol abuse. Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which the body develops difficulty using the hormone insulin to process glucose for energy. Obesity is a major risk factor for both disorders.
The scientists found that 78 percent of the volunteers having NFLD developed diabetes or prediabetes, a condition that often leads to type 2 diabetes. They also linked NFLD, which is sometimes described as a minor condition, to a risk of developing end-stage liver disease.
They therefore recommend lifestyle modifications in all patients with NAFLD. Not only do lifestyle modifications reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, intense dietary intervention may also improve liver histology in NAFLD.
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