Once again, fatty liver disease is in the news, and again, it's about kids. A recent post I had discussed fatty liver disease and the obesity epidemic we are facing in kids. A new article posted yesterday repeats the concern-our kids will die of liver failure if we don't wake up and face this problem now.
"In a new and disturbing twist on the obesity epidemic, some overweight teenagers have severe liver damage caused by too much body fat, and a handful have needed liver transplants.
Many more may need a new liver by their 30s or 40s, say experts warning that pediatricians need to be more vigilant. The condition, which can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure or liver cancer, is being seen in kids in the United States, Europe, Australia and even some developing countries, according to a surge of recent medical studies and doctors interviewed by The Associated Press.
The American Liver Foundation and other experts estimate 2 percent to 5 percent of American children over age 5, nearly all of them obese or overweight, have the condition, called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
"It's clearly the most common cause of liver disease," said Dr. Ronald Sokol, head of public policy at the liver foundation and a liver specialist at Children's Hospital and University of Colorado Denver.
Some experts think as many as 10 percent of all children and half of those who are obese may suffer from it, but note that few are given the simple blood test that can signal its presence. A biopsy is the only sure way to diagnose this disease." Read the full article
For both adults and children, obesity needs to be curbed. The thought of our children having a shorter life expectancy than their parents is child abuse.
Listen here for a recent KTRH interview I did with JP and Lana during the Morning News.
