Fatty Liver Cases Triple in City: Doctors Warn of ‘Silent’ Damage from Lifestyle, Not Alcohol
You don’t need to drink alcohol to get liver disease. That’s the message from liver specialists at a major medical conference held in Ahmedabad over the weekend, as fatty liver cases in the city reportedly triple, especially among young, non-drinking adults.
Doctors at REACH 2025 — the second edition of Recent Advances and Controversies in Hepatology — sounded the alarm on how sedentary lifestyles, irregular eating habits, and junk food consumption are silently damaging livers. Organized by Apollo Hospitals, the two-day event brought together over 150 specialists from India and abroad to discuss the changing face of liver disease, including rising cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
“People believe if they don’t drink alcohol, their liver is safe. That’s a big myth,” said Dr Pathik Parikh, liver specialist and Organising Secretary of REACH 2025. “Fatty liver disease is becoming more common in non-drinkers because of lifestyle issues like sitting too much, eating oily food at odd hours, and not watching what they eat.”
Dr Parikh estimates that 30–50% of Gujarat’s population may already be living with fatty liver disease — many of them completely unaware. He emphasized that early detection and lifestyle changes are key to preventing long-term liver damage.
Global Experts in Ahmedabad
The REACH 2025 conference saw participation from top hepatologists, gastroenterologists, transplant surgeons, and medical faculty from countries including the UK, Egypt, and Italy. “This conference is a big step for the liver care field,” said Dr Chirag Desai, Organising Chairman. “We are bringing together global and Indian experts to talk about real challenges doctors face and new ways to treat liver problems.”
Topics ranged from liver cancer and transplant innovations to the use of artificial intelligence and mobile apps in liver care. A major focus was Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF) — a dangerous condition where a pre-damaged liver suddenly worsens, often affecting organs like the kidneys and brain.
“In ACLF, timing is everything,” said Dr Guruprasad Shetty. “If we act in the first 3–7 days and choose the right patients for transplant, we can save lives.”
The Alarming Numbers
Doctors presented sobering statistics:
- In Grade 1 ACLF, 23% of patients die within 28 days without a liver transplant.
- In Grade 2, the death rate rises to 32%.
- In Grade 3, a staggering 75% of patients die within a month unless a transplant is performed.
However, early transplants can raise survival rates to 80% for at least one year. Specialists use special scoring systems to determine eligibility, as not all patients are healthy enough for surgery.
The key message from the conference was clear: liver health is no longer just about alcohol. It’s increasingly about modern habits — sitting too long, poor diet, lack of exercise, and erratic eating schedules. Doctors are urging the public to take liver health seriously, even if they’ve never touched a drink.
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