www.nhs.uk/conditions/non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease/
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the term for a range of conditions caused by a build-up of fat in the liver. It's usually seen in people who are overweight or obese.
A healthy liver should contain little or no fat. It's estimated up to 1 in every 3 people in the UK has early stages of NAFLD, where there are small amounts of fat in their liver.
Early-stage NAFLD does not usually cause any harm, but it can lead to serious liver damage, including cirrhosis, if it gets worse.
Having high levels of fat in your liver is also associated with an increased risk of serious health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease.
If you already have diabetes, NAFLD increases your chance of developing heart problems.
If detected and managed at an early stage, it's possible to stop NAFLD getting worse and reduce the amount of fat in your liver.
Am I at risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)?
You're at an increased risk of NAFLD if you:
are obese or overweight – particularly if you have a lot of fat around your waist (an "apple-like" body shape)
have type 2 diabetes
have high blood pressure
have high cholesterol
have metabolic syndrome (a combination of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity)
are over the age of 50
smoke
But NAFLD has been diagnosed in people without any of these risk factors, including young children.
Although it's very similar to alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD), NAFLD is not caused by drinking too much alcohol.