India, April 15 -- A study suggests that by 2050, metabolic liver disease will affect 1.8 billion people worldwide. This rise is linked to increasing obesity and high blood sugar levels. One common condition is metabolically dysfunctional associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which was previously called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It is one of the most common and fastest-growing liver diseases globally. Currently, about 1.3 billion people live with MASLD, a 143% increase over the past 30 years. About 1 in 6 people, or 16%, are affected.

The findings from a major study on health, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD), were published in the journal Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. ...