Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the buildup of fat in the liver that is NOT caused by drinking too much alcohol. People who have it do not have a history of heavy drinking. NAFLD is closely related to being overweight.
For many people, NAFLD causes no symptoms or problems. A more serious form of the disease is called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH can cause liver failure. It can also cause cancer.
Alternative Names
Fatty liver; Steatosis; Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; NASH
Causes
There is no clear cause for NAFLD or NASH. However, certain things may put you at risk:
- Overweight or obesity. The more overweight you are, the higher the risk.
- Prediabetes (insulin resistance)
- Type 2 diabetes
- High cholesterol
- High triglycerides
- High blood pressure
Other risk factors may include:
- Rapid weight loss and poor diet
- Gastric bypass surgery
- Bowel disease
- Certain medicines, such as calcium channel blockers and some cancer drugs
NAFLD also occurs in people who have no known risk factors.