HEPATOLOGY AND LIVER DISEASE: EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE (NAFLD) ON GLOBAL HEALTH

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in the world, occurring in about one-quarter of the population. It is closely linked with the components of metabolic syndrome, mainly obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and dyslipidemia. Knowledge of the regional burden, diagnostic efficiency, and risk factors is important for tackling its impact on global health. Studies included gave human information regarding epidemiology, diagnostic methods, and metabolic correlations. The peer-reviewed literature was searched in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for human studies published. Inclusion criteria needed prevalence data, diagnostic methods, or risk factor associations. The main variables of the study design, population characteristics, diagnostic technique, and clinical outcomes were obtained. Data were synthesised and statistically examined for sensitivity, specificity, and odds ratios. NAFLD prevalence varied between 13% in Africa and 32% in the Middle East. Liver biopsy was still the gold standard for the diagnosis (95% sensitivity, 98% specificity), but Magnetic Resonance Imaging–Proton Density Fat Fraction (MRI-PDFF) and FibroScan provided accurate non-invasive options. Obesity presented the highest odds ratio (3.5), followed by T2DM (2.8), high-fat diet (2.2), PNPLA3 gene variant (1.9), and gut dysbiosis (1.7), all statistically significant. NAFLD is a significant public health burden with substantial regional variation. Reliable, non-invasive diagnosis and focused intervention strategies are crucial to stem its progression and minimise global disease burden.