Editorial: Nutrition in prevention and management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

The overall clinical burden of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has increased steadily since the 1980′ s affecting 25% of individuals with around three times higher prevalence within population affected by type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (1, 2). In addition, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has reached epidemic proportions affecting between 1.5% to 6.5% of the general population and as many as 37% of people living with T2DM (1, 2). Furthermore, 20%−30% of patients with NAFLD develop NASH, which can lead to cirrhosis and associated complications, including hepatocellular cancer. Identification and management of liver steatosis and fibrosis that ensue may contribute to the early prevention and treatment of NASH. Furthermore the fibrosis, liver outcomes and cardiovascular disease (CVD), are the main cause of morbidity and mortality among subjects with NASH (3). Additionally, NASH is associated with a substantially increased risk of new-onset T2DM and risk varies markedly from a 33% increase (4) to a 5.5-fold increase in risk (5).