health
Almost 2bn to be affected by metabolic liver disease by 2050, study suggests
MASLD affects one in six people now and is projected to rise because of population growth, obesity and high blood sugar
TL;DR
- Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is projected to affect 1.8 billion people worldwide by 2050.
- Currently, 1.3 billion people live with MASLD, a 143% increase over three decades, affecting about 16% of the global population.
- The primary drivers for the increase in MASLD are rising obesity and high blood sugar levels, coupled with global population growth.
- High blood sugar, high BMI, and smoking are the leading risk factors for MASLD-related health problems.
- MASLD prevalence has seen sharp increases globally, including in the UK, Australia, and the United States.
- While the number of cases is increasing, advances in treatment have maintained a stable overall health impact, indicating early-stage diagnoses.
- MASLD is often linked to being overweight, typically asymptomatic, and usually treated with lifestyle changes.