HOUSTON – Children and teens are increasingly developing fatty liver disease.
“This is a problem that is everywhere, and many kids don’t even know they have it. Many parents don’t know,” explained Dr. Sanjiv Harpavat, assistant professor with the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. “One in 10 children, one in four adults. So many of these children, they develop it over time and then when they hit adulthood, one in four. So, this disease, it’s not really how common is it everywhere. It is a fact. It is a part of our life.”
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Kids most at risk, include:
- Kids with a body mass index (BMI) Above the 85th percentile
- Central obesity (around the abdomen)
- Insulin resistance
- Prediabetes or type 2 diabetes
- Family history of fatty liver disease
While most people with fatty liver disease do not have symptoms, some kids experience pain in the upper-right part of their abdomen.
“The good news is, this is the only disease that we can give or diagnose children with, the only liver disease I know of, where they can control the course of the disease and solve the disease on their own without us,” Dr. Harpavat said.
His suggestions to improve the liver function in young people:
- Cut all sugary drinks, “We ask patients, the only thing to drink is water and white milk.”
- Take the word breakfast, split it in half in to break and fast, “You have to fast the whole night before that. And so we say after you eat your dinner... Only water nothing until the next morning. So, the next morning, you can truly, truly break a fast.”
What happens if fatty liver disease isn’t treated?
This eventually can lead to liver failure, which is the most common cause of liver transplants in adults.