Mangaluru: Fatty liver disease, once considered rare in children, is now emerging as a common cause of chronic liver disease in children, say doctors.Speaking on the sidelines of World Liver Day, Dr Swathi Rao, consultant paediatric intensivist, KMC Hospital, said that over the past decade, cases of fatty liver disease among children in Mangaluru have risen by nearly 10%.In the general paediatric population, the prevalence is now estimated at 5%-10%, with some studies suggesting that nearly 1 in 10 children may be affected. Among overweight or obese children, the numbers are significantly higher, ranging between 30% and 50%. We are also seeing the condition in younger children, especially from urban areas. “We are detecting early fatty-liver changes in children as young as 6-7 years, while it is more common in the 12-18 age group,” Dr Rao said.The rise is linked to increasing childhood obesity, which saw a spike during the pandemic years. Sedentary lifestyles, prolonged screen time and unhealthy eating habits have created what experts describe as a “double hit” on children’s metabolic health. “High intake of sugary drinks, junk food and ultra-processed diets, combined with lack of physical activity, is driving fat accumulation in the liver,” she explained. Many children show no obvious symptoms. When symptoms do appear, they may include fatigue, mild abdominal discomfort, weight gain around the waist or darkened skin around the neck, a sign of insulin resistance, she said.Dr Rao said children also face a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease later in life. She stressed simple lifestyle changes, at least one hour of daily physical activity, limiting screen time to 1–2 hours, and avoiding screen exposure for toddlers.Dr Anurag Shetty, consultant, medical gastroenterology, KMC Hospital, said, “Liver disease is often silent in its early stages. Fatty liver is closely linked to conditions such as obesity, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, diabetes and hypertension, and it also increases the risk of serious complications like cirrhosis and liver cancers.” “Also, those with fatty liver are at risk of developing other diseases like heart attacks, heart failure and strokes. There is a need for targeted screening of high-risk groups, including those with obesity and diabetes, along with greater awareness through outreach programmes, public health events, and sustained messaging via social and digital media focusing on healthy diet and lifestyle changes,” he said.
