Nearly half of adults suffer from metabolic associated fatty liver disease! NSYSU collaborates with industry and academia to discuss solutions
2024-08-06
Nearly half of adults over the age of 40 in Taiwan suffer from metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD)! The Center of Excellence for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (CEMAFLD) at National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU), in collaboration with the Taiwan Association for the Study of the Liver (TASL) and Kaohsiung Medical University, hosted the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) Single Topic Conference on MAFLD in Kaohsiung for the first time. Ming-Lung Yu, the then Senior Vice President of NSYSU, Director of the CEMAFLD, and the President of the conference, pointed out that approximately a quarter of the global population has fatty liver, the most common chronic liver disease. In Taiwan, the prevalence rate is 25% to 30%, and it increases to 40% to 50% among adults over 40. Studies have found that mild fatty liver in slightly obese individuals may promote the clearance of hepatitis B. However, liver disease can also worsen easily in those with metabolic disorders. The solutions lie in lifestyle changes, promoting metabolic functions, and dietary control.
This conference brought together nearly a hundred experts and scholars on viral hepatitis, metabolism, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and liver cancer from 14 countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Australia, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Mongolia to jointly discuss the wide and complex issues on MAFLD through keynote lectures, scientific sessions, professional courses, as well as group discussions, and they presented nearly 200 research papers.
Ming-Lung Yu, the then Senior Vice President of NSYSU, Director of the CEMAFLD, and the President of the APASL Single Topic Conference on MAFLD, said that fatty liver is caused by the liver receiving too much fat and the accumulation of fat due to insulin resistance-related metabolic dysfunction, forming a vicious cycle. Fat accumulation can also cause oxidative stress and liver inflammation, which may lead to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer in the long term. In the past 20 years, due to the westernization of social patterns and dietary habits, the number of primary and secondary school students suffering from fatty liver has also increased year by year.
"The first leading cause of death from MAFLD is not liver disease, but cardiovascular disease," Ming-Lung Yu explained. The factors causing MAFLD are very complex, with non-alcoholic obesity being the most common, and MAFLD can also interact with viral hepatitis, such as hepatitis B and C. High blood pressure, high blood lipids, high blood sugar, and metabolic syndrome are all related to fatty liver and can be interrelated. Fatty liver may not only cause liver disease but also easily lead to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Studies have found that the second leading cause of death from MAFLD is liver-related diseases such as cirrhosis or liver cancer, and the third is cancers other than the liver cancer. "Fatty liver is actually related to many cancers, which was less common in the past."
"The biggest problem with MAFLD is that patients often have no obvious symptoms; many of them only begin to experience discomfort when the condition progresses to liver cancer or end-stage cirrhosis." Ming-Lung Yu suggested that regular abdominal ultrasound health checkups shall be performed to ensure early detection. The best and most basic improvement methods are changing lifestyle, promoting metabolic functions, and controlling dietary habits. Since 70% of fatty liver patients are related to obesity, losing 5% to 10% of current body weight can significantly reduce liver fat accumulation and inflammation; losing more than 10% of the weight can even reverse liver fibrosis.
Ming-Lung Yu delivered a lecture on "Interaction Between Viral Hepatitis and MAFLD: An Unmet Needs in Clinical Practice for Fatty Liver Diseases" at the conference, mentioning that past studies on MAFLD were designed to simplify and exclude some other factors that may cause liver inflammation. However, in Eastern countries, nearly 15% to 18% of the population suffers from hepatitis B or C. Recent studies have found that 30% of hepatitis B patients and 40% to 50% of hepatitis C patients have fatty liver. Fatty liver patients with hepatitis C have more severe disease progression, and vice versa, showing reciprocal influence and aggravation. However, the interaction with hepatitis B differs. Studies have found that mild fatty liver in slightly obese individuals may promote the clearance of hepatitis B and reduce the risk of developing cirrhosis and liver cancer, showing a countervailing effect. However, if fatty liver worsens and metabolic disorder become more significantly, the course of hepatitis B will still exacerbate. Although these factors were excluded and ignored by Western countries in the past, current research results have shown that other factors should be considered to provide great guidance for clinical care. Eastern countries should pay attention to this and explore it in depth.
Taiwan's research on hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and liver cancer plays a significant role globally. Ming-Lung Yu acknowledged that Taiwan started to become substantial in the field of fatty liver about ten years later than European and American countries. The prevalence and incidence rates of fatty liver disease are increasing year by year, with more and more cases of liver fibrosis and liver cancer. In the United States, fatty liver disease has already become the leading cause of cirrhosis, liver cancer, and the need for liver transplantation. "If Taiwan does not control it well, it may follow the same path in 10 to 20 years." Ming-Lung Yu said fatty liver in Eastern and Western countries has different patterns, making it worth exploring the causes further. Fatty liver disease can be prevented, so the conference was organized to respond in advance. Future studies in fatty liver in Taiwan are likely to offer valuable insights and evidence for the world.
The TASL stated that the Single Topic Conference on MAFLD, an important international conference, was held in Taiwan for the first time, demonstrating the significance and contributions of Taiwan's liver disease medical community. Outstanding scholars in the global field of liver disease medicine, including Pei-Jer Chen, an Academician of Academia Sinica and a Physician in a division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology in Taiwan, Jacob George, a professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney, and Chien-Jen Chen, the former Premier of Taiwan and an authority on viral hepatitis diagnosis, were invited to attend the conference to integrate clinical and academic research and share the most valuable experiences and insights with all participants. Researchers from various countries gathered to exchange and learn from each other through discussions on the latest advances in hepatology and multidisciplinary knowledge, which contributes to the prevention and treatment of MAFLD and establishes effective channels for international cooperation.
Nearly half of adults over the age of 40 in Taiwan suffer from metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD)! The Center of Excellence for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (CEMAFLD) at National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU), in collaboration with the Taiwan Association for the Study of the Liver (TASL) and Kaohsiung Medical University, hosted the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) Single Topic Conference on MAFLD in Kaohsiung for the first time. Ming-Lung Yu, the then Senior Vice President of NSYSU, Director of the CEMAFLD, and the President of the conference, pointed out that approximately a quarter of the global population has fatty liver, the most common chronic liver disease. In Taiwan, the prevalence rate is 25% to 30%, and it increases to 40% to 50% among adults over 40. Studies have found that mild fatty liver in slightly obese individuals may promote the clearance of hepatitis B. However, liver disease can also worsen easily in those with metabolic disorders. The solutions lie in lifestyle changes, promoting metabolic functions, and dietary control.
This conference brought together nearly a hundred experts and scholars on viral hepatitis, metabolism, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and liver cancer from 14 countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Australia, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Mongolia to jointly discuss the wide and complex issues on MAFLD through keynote lectures, scientific sessions, professional courses, as well as group discussions, and they presented nearly 200 research papers.
Ming-Lung Yu, the then Senior Vice President of NSYSU, Director of the CEMAFLD, and the President of the APASL Single Topic Conference on MAFLD, said that fatty liver is caused by the liver receiving too much fat and the accumulation of fat due to insulin resistance-related metabolic dysfunction, forming a vicious cycle. Fat accumulation can also cause oxidative stress and liver inflammation, which may lead to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer in the long term. In the past 20 years, due to the westernization of social patterns and dietary habits, the number of primary and secondary school students suffering from fatty liver has also increased year by year.
"The first leading cause of death from MAFLD is not liver disease, but cardiovascular disease," Ming-Lung Yu explained. The factors causing MAFLD are very complex, with non-alcoholic obesity being the most common, and MAFLD can also interact with viral hepatitis, such as hepatitis B and C. High blood pressure, high blood lipids, high blood sugar, and metabolic syndrome are all related to fatty liver and can be interrelated. Fatty liver may not only cause liver disease but also easily lead to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Studies have found that the second leading cause of death from MAFLD is liver-related diseases such as cirrhosis or liver cancer, and the third is cancers other than the liver cancer. "Fatty liver is actually related to many cancers, which was less common in the past."
"The biggest problem with MAFLD is that patients often have no obvious symptoms; many of them only begin to experience discomfort when the condition progresses to liver cancer or end-stage cirrhosis." Ming-Lung Yu suggested that regular abdominal ultrasound health checkups shall be performed to ensure early detection. The best and most basic improvement methods are changing lifestyle, promoting metabolic functions, and controlling dietary habits. Since 70% of fatty liver patients are related to obesity, losing 5% to 10% of current body weight can significantly reduce liver fat accumulation and inflammation; losing more than 10% of the weight can even reverse liver fibrosis.
Ming-Lung Yu delivered a lecture on "Interaction Between Viral Hepatitis and MAFLD: An Unmet Needs in Clinical Practice for Fatty Liver Diseases" at the conference, mentioning that past studies on MAFLD were designed to simplify and exclude some other factors that may cause liver inflammation. However, in Eastern countries, nearly 15% to 18% of the population suffers from hepatitis B or C. Recent studies have found that 30% of hepatitis B patients and 40% to 50% of hepatitis C patients have fatty liver. Fatty liver patients with hepatitis C have more severe disease progression, and vice versa, showing reciprocal influence and aggravation. However, the interaction with hepatitis B differs. Studies have found that mild fatty liver in slightly obese individuals may promote the clearance of hepatitis B and reduce the risk of developing cirrhosis and liver cancer, showing a countervailing effect. However, if fatty liver worsens and metabolic disorder become more significantly, the course of hepatitis B will still exacerbate. Although these factors were excluded and ignored by Western countries in the past, current research results have shown that other factors should be considered to provide great guidance for clinical care. Eastern countries should pay attention to this and explore it in depth.
Taiwan's research on hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and liver cancer plays a significant role globally. Ming-Lung Yu acknowledged that Taiwan started to become substantial in the field of fatty liver about ten years later than European and American countries. The prevalence and incidence rates of fatty liver disease are increasing year by year, with more and more cases of liver fibrosis and liver cancer. In the United States, fatty liver disease has already become the leading cause of cirrhosis, liver cancer, and the need for liver transplantation. "If Taiwan does not control it well, it may follow the same path in 10 to 20 years." Ming-Lung Yu said fatty liver in Eastern and Western countries has different patterns, making it worth exploring the causes further. Fatty liver disease can be prevented, so the conference was organized to respond in advance. Future studies in fatty liver in Taiwan are likely to offer valuable insights and evidence for the world.
The TASL stated that the Single Topic Conference on MAFLD, an important international conference, was held in Taiwan for the first time, demonstrating the significance and contributions of Taiwan's liver disease medical community. Outstanding scholars in the global field of liver disease medicine, including Pei-Jer Chen, an Academician of Academia Sinica and a Physician in a division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology in Taiwan, Jacob George, a professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney, and Chien-Jen Chen, the former Premier of Taiwan and an authority on viral hepatitis diagnosis, were invited to attend the conference to integrate clinical and academic research and share the most valuable experiences and insights with all participants. Researchers from various countries gathered to exchange and learn from each other through discussions on the latest advances in hepatology and multidisciplinary knowledge, which contributes to the prevention and treatment of MAFLD and establishes effective channels for international cooperation.
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