Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Asia, Africa, and Middle East Region

Janus Ong; Khalid Alswat; Saeed Hamid; Mohamed El-Kassas

doi:10.1016/j.cld.2023.01.014

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Asia, Africa, and Middle East Region

Clin Liver Dis. 2023 May;27(2):287-299. doi: 10.1016/j.cld.2023.01.014. Epub 2023 Feb 26.

Authors

Janus Ong¹, Khalid Alswat², Saeed Hamid³, Mohamed El-Kassas⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Medicine, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines.
² Department of Medicine, Liver Disease Research Centre, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
⁴ Endemic Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Helwan University, Ain Helwan, Cairo 11795, Egypt. Electronic address: m_elkassas@hq.helwan.edu.eg.

PMID: 37024208
DOI: 10.1016/j.cld.2023.01.014

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease worldwide. The global prevalence of the disease varies according to the geographical region. Despite having distinct models for the western patterns of NAFLD, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East regions exhibited varying prevalence rates of NAFLD. The disease burden is anticipated to significantly increase in these areas. Furthermore, with an increase in NAFLD risk factors in these regions, the disease burden is expected to rise even more. Policies at the regional and international levels are required to address such growing burden of NAFLD consequences.

Keywords: Africa; Asia; Epidemiology; MENA; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH); Prevalence.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Africa / epidemiology
Asia / epidemiology
Humans
Middle East / epidemiology
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease* / epidemiology
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease* / etiology
Prevalence
Risk Factors