Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global health problem, with an estimated prevalence of 30% among adults in industrialized countries, and associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. NAFLD is defined histologically and represents a spectrum from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis, fibrosis and cirrhosis. Hepatic triglyceride droplet accumulation is considered the first feature in the natural history; in some patients, this is associated with inflammation and fibrosis, through the interaction of environmental and host factors.