About Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD):
- Often referred to as a “silent” disease, MASLD is a liver condition that can progress over time if left unaddressed.
- It is a long-lasting liver condition caused by having too much fat in the liver.
- Previously known as Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), its name was changed to better reflect the condition’s underlying causes.
- The new term highlights that the disease is a metabolic one, linked to factors such as obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
- It is the most common form of liver disease in the world.
- MASLD ranges in severity from hepatic steatosis — sometimes called diffuse hepatic steatosis, or formerly fatty liver infiltration or simply fatty liver — to a more severe form of disease called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), formerly called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
- Treatment: Treating MASLD with a healthy diet, physical activity, and weight loss can slow or even reverse liver damage, especially if it is at an earlier stage.
