India's Fatty Liver Disease Cases Surge: MASLD Up 23% Since 1990

Top Summary

• What happened: India has seen a 23.19% increase in Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) prevalence since 1990.
• Why it matters: MASLD, formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, impacts 16% of the global population and can lead to severe health complications.
• What changes for people: Increased awareness and focus on metabolic risk factors like managing blood sugar and obesity are crucial for prevention.
• Who is affected: The Indian population, particularly those with metabolic risk factors, are increasingly susceptible to MASLD.

India's MASLD Crisis: A Growing Concern

A recent study published in The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology reveals a significant surge in Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) cases in India.

Globally, approximately 16% of the population lived with MASLD in 2023, marking a 143% increase since 1990.

India's rise is particularly sharp, with a 23.19% increase in MASLD prevalence between 1990 and 2023.

Rising Prevalence, Root Causes

The age-standardized prevalence rate in India climbed from 10,191 per 100,000 in 1990 to 12,555 per 100,000 in 2023.

The study highlights that the increase is primarily driven by rising metabolic risk factors.

These factors include high blood sugar and obesity, contributing to the escalating MASLD cases.

Expert Insights

Dr. Mahaveer Golechha, Professor at IIPH-Gandhinagar, explains the trend:

"India’s case spiral aligns with South Asian patterns, driven by metabolic risks amid population expansion."

Dr. Golechha is a contributing author of the Global Burden of Diseases, 2023.

Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs)

The study also indicates a slight decrease in Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) related to MASLD in India.

The age-standardized DALY rate fell from 23.8 per 100,000 in 1990 to 21.1 per 100,000 in 2023.

This represents an 11.3% decrease in years of healthy life lost due to illness, disability, or premature death.

What to Watch Next

Future studies should focus on identifying specific interventions to mitigate metabolic risk factors in the Indian population. Further research is needed to fully understand the impact of the slight decrease in DALYs alongside the overall increase in MASLD prevalence.