With Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) fast becoming a major public health crisis, closely linked to the increasing rates of obesity, diabetes, and CVDs, the Union Health Ministry on Friday issued revised operational guidelines and a training module aimed at improving patient care to combat the silent but serious condition.

“Out of 10, one to three people can have NAFLD which highlights the impact of the disease,” said Apurva Chandra, Union Health Secretary at an event here on the need for the revised guidelines.

He further said that 66 per cent of the liver deaths in the country are due to NCDs and the major risk factors are tobacco use (smoking and smokeless), alcohol use, poor dietary habits, insufficient physical activity, and air pollution.

As rapid urbanisation, along with sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy dietary habits become more common, more individuals are developing fatty liver, even without alcohol consumption. The growing prevalence of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance further exacerbates this condition.

Punya Salila Srivastava, Officer on Special Duty with the Ministry said,   “these guidelines need to reach the grassroot level workers so that the disease is detected early and the burden of NAFLD is reduced.” Dr S K Sarin, Director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) noted that many NCDs such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer are linked to liver health, underscoring the importance of maintaining a healthy liver.

“India contributes high numbers for NCDs globally and one of the core causes of metabolic diseases is in the liver. Realising the growing burden and urgent need to address it, India became the first country to integrate the NAFLD in the National Programme for Prevention and Control of NCDs in 2021,” said a statement from the Ministry.

Welcoming the Ministry’s move, Dr. Arun Gupta, a pediatrician and convenor of Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi) said later that while the revised guidelines for managing NAFLD are a positive step, they alone are insufficient to address the root causes of this growing health issue.

“There is a pressing need to regulate the marketing of unhealthy foods, particularly ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which contribute significantly to poor dietary habits, “ he said , adding that banning advertisements for these unhealthy products and implementing higher taxes on them. “It’s crucial to educate children about the potential harm of such products, fostering a healthier understanding of food choices from an early age,” he said.

The guidelines focus on health promotion and early detection which are important for ensuring that patients with NAFLD receive timely and appropriate care. It also advocates for a multidisciplinary approach, integrating the efforts of healthcare providers from various disciplines to offer holistic care to individuals affected by NAFLD.