Our liver disease timebomb: Britain facing health crisis fuelled by obesity

OBESITY is set to take over alcohol as the leading cause of liver disease in the next few years.

Britain is on the cusp of a liver disease ‘timebomb’ after researchers found that many more people than previously thought have a major cause of deadly cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Around 12 per cent are now believed to have the most severe form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a study found.

Typically caused by poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle, the findings eclipse previous estimates of it affecting up to three per cent of the UK population.

Experts warn it could soon lead to more patients dying prematurely from the disease as a result of diet rather than alcohol. Judi Rhys, chief executive of the British Liver Trust, said: ‘We’re on the cusp of something that is going to be a crisis.

‘We knew there was a problem but this study suggests there’s a much bigger problem than we’d thought.

‘This will present a huge burden on the NHS in years to come, with an increasing number of people requiring care for cirrhosis or needing liver transplants.’

Britain has the highest obesity rates in the EU and the warning came after an analysis of MRI scans of 2,895 people on the UK Biobank database revealed 12 per cent suffer from the most severe type of liver disease, known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

The analysis – revealed at the International Liver Congress in Paris yesterday – specifically looked at NASH, which often develops in middle age and typically causes cirrhosis around 10 years later.

Fatty liver disease is a dangerous build-up of fat in the liver, which is not linked to alcohol consumption. It is known as a silent killer because of the lack of symptoms.

Mrs Rhys added: ‘The real worry is that people are walking around thinking they’re fine. Greater awareness of the risk factors of fatty liver disease is crucial.’