Fatty Liver Alliance Highlights the Importance of Liver Health on World Liver Day

TORONTO, ON, CANADA, April 19, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In observance of World Liver Day (April 19), the Fatty Liver Alliance, a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to combating liver diseases, emphasizes the critical role of liver health in overall well-being. This year, World Liver Day, carries the theme of educating people about the significance of their liver, the and the diseases that can affect it, and empowering them with simple yet effective measures to safeguard liver health.

"The liver is a powerhouse of the human body, executing over 500 essential tasks to keep us healthy," said Michael Betel, President and Founder of the Fatty Liver Alliance. "Yet, liver health seldom receives the attention it deserves. On World Liver Day, we aim to change that by spotlighting the prevalence of conditions like Metabolic dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) and Metabolic dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH), and their impact on global health."

MASLD, commonly driven by lifestyle factors such as high-sugar, high-fat diets, and a sedentary lifestyle, is a silent epidemic affecting an estimated 38% of the global adult population. The condition can progress to more severe stages, including MASH, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Key risk factors include obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes, with over 60% of individuals with type 2 diabetes likely to develop MASLD.

"World Liver Day is a vital opportunity for education and action. Taking care of our liver is not optional, it's essential. Poor liver health is strongly associated with other metabolic diseases that could be coexisting or develop if treatment isn’t initiated. In supporting World Liver Day, we commit to informing our communities about how to maintain liver health, recognize the signs of liver illness early, and advocate for those affected." - Dr. Supriya Joshi, Hepatologist, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

"By celebrating World Liver Day, the Global NASH and Global Liver Councils reiterate their commitments to serve as a global think-tank and network of recognized liver health leaders dedicated to advancing the field of steatotic liver disease (SLD) and other important liver diseases throughout the world." - Zobair M. Younossi MD, Chairman, The Global NASH and Liver Councils".

"As a global health educator, I see firsthand the impact of liver disease, and in particular MASLD and MASH, worldwide. It's imperative we intensify our efforts in prevention and early detection. World Liver Day provides an essential platform to educate and advocate for better liver health, a crucial step towards ending the public health threat of these far too often overlooked diseases". - Jeffrey Lazarus, Professor Global Health, CUNY SPH and Research Professor at ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain."

In 2023, healthcare providers, clinical researchers, and experts in public health and policy established the groundbreaking initiative, Global Research and Action Priorities. This consensus-based action plan outlines strategies to decrease the incidence of fatty liver disease and enhance patient outcomes. Successful implementation of this agenda will require coordinated efforts at global, regional, and national levels. Below, you will find a link to this paper along with other relevant references.

The Fatty Liver Alliance advocates for lifestyle interventions such as weight loss, diet modification, and physical activity to mitigate the risk and progression of liver diseases. The organization supports individuals diagnosed with MASLD and MASH, and strives for better treatment and care options.

"World Liver Day is more significant now than ever," Betel stated. "In an era where lifestyle diseases are escalating, we must intensify our efforts to educate and treat liver conditions. Today is not just about awareness but about igniting a worldwide initiative for healthier livers and lives."

The Fatty Liver Alliance invites everyone to join in this global cause to learn about and promote liver health. Together, we can bring the shadowed reality of liver diseases into the light and call for change.

For more information about the Fatty Liver Alliance, World Liver Day, and how you can participate, please visit www.fattyliver.ca. As a charity, we depend upon generous donations when possible and our website address for support is http://www.fattyliver.ca/donations.

References:
1) Research priorities in SLD (JHEP, 2023): DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2023.04.035
2) Action priorities in SLD (Hepatology, 2024): DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/HEP.0000000000000545
3) Lifestyle interventions in MASLD (NRGH, 2023): DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-023-00800-4


Contact Information:
Michael Betel, President and Founder, Fatty Liver Alliance
https://www.fattyliver.ca
Email: [email protected]

Michael Betel
Fatty Liver Alliance
+1 716-603-4351
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