Not just a disease of overweight or obese individuals, fatty liver can also occur in those who are thin.
According to doctors, the most common cause of fatty liver is alcohol consumption. However, there are patients with fatty liver who do not belong to the group of heavy drinkers.
In addition to alcohol, other common causes include obesity; high blood lipids; diabetes; genetic predisposition; rapid weight loss; and side effects from certain medications.
Dietary Habits Leading to Fatty Liver
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Lam, former Deputy Director of the National Institute of Nutrition, shared that one of the causes of fatty liver is linked to individuals with high blood lipids.
High blood lipids can lead to fat accumulation in the liver due to insufficient elimination, resulting in fatty liver disease. Furthermore, a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits contribute to overweight and obesity. Over 50% of overweight and obese individuals have lipid metabolism disorders.
According to Dr. Lam, foods that cause high blood lipids and metabolic disorders leading to fatty liver include saturated fats (such as oils and butter) and trans fats from repeatedly used frying oils (like fried potatoes, fried chicken, doughnuts, etc.). The darker the frying oil, the higher the trans fat content.
“Oils reused for the third time will convert to saturated fats and increase with the number of frying cycles. In households, we should use a moderate amount of oil for frying and discard it afterward. Many families, in an effort to save, reuse oils multiple times, which generates saturated fats and can lead to fatty liver over time,” Dr. Lam stated.
The expert also noted that individuals who habitually consume animal organs (such as liver, kidneys, and intestines) have a very high risk of lipid metabolism disorders. In fact, during medical examinations, Dr. Lam has encountered patients who were very thin but had high blood lipids along with fatty liver.
These patients were often surprised to find they had fatty liver. However, when the expert inquired about their diet, the patients revealed a frequent consumption of animal organs.
“This is a favorite food among patients, rich in cholesterol. Long-term consumption increases blood lipids, leading to fatty liver,” Dr. Lam shared.
Consuming a lot of animal organs leads to high cholesterol, which can cause high blood lipid levels.
Thirdly, the modern industrial lifestyle has caused many people to forget about eating green vegetables and ripe fruits. This is especially true for younger generations, who often rely on fast food options like instant noodles and fried chicken due to busy schedules. These meals are typically high in protein and fat, lacking in vegetables and fruits.
In a balanced diet, green vegetables and ripe fruits provide essential vitamins and fiber for the body. A fiber-rich diet helps to eliminate excess fat from the digestive tract. A diet low in fiber leads to the reabsorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream, which contributes to fatty liver.
Fourthly, a diet excessively high in energy can also lead to overweight and obesity, adversely affecting liver function.
Currently, the eating habits of Vietnamese people show a trend of increasing fat content in their diets. In urban areas, diets often exceed fat requirements, while in rural areas, the quality of fat consumed is not guaranteed (with high trans fat intake).
Fifthly, the consumption of sugary foods is a common habit among Vietnamese people. Nutrition experts warn that excessive sugar intake can lead to energy surplus, resulting in overweight and obesity, which can easily lead to fatty liver.
Symptoms of Fatty Liver
According to experts, sweet foods containing glucose enter the body and go to the liver. In the liver, glucose is stored as glycogen.
The function of glycogen is to serve as a long-term energy reserve, with the primary source being fat stored in adipose tissue. Glycogen in muscles is converted into glucose by muscle cells, while glycogen in the liver is converted into glucose used by the entire body.
A diet high in fats and low in green vegetables and fruits can lead to fatty liver.
During the process of converting glycogen into glucose, blood sugar levels can rise significantly, placing a burden on the liver.
Fatty liver rarely presents clear symptoms. The initial signs often include mild abdominal discomfort and a feeling of fullness.
Clinically, a doctor may find that your liver is slightly enlarged. When the fat content in the liver becomes excessive, it can cause hepatitis. At that point, the main symptoms may include loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain, fatigue, and jaundice.
Dr. Lam advises that fatty liver is commonly found in individuals who consume excessive alcohol, smoke, have imbalanced diets, lead sedentary lifestyles, are overweight or obese, suffer from lipid metabolism disorders, or have diabetes.
To prevent fatty liver, it is essential to maintain a healthy diet, limit fatty meats, increase the intake of lean meats, and consume plenty of green vegetables and ripe fruits.
