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Underestimated risk Already many children with a fatty liver
More and more children are suffering from malnutrition and lack of exercise due to non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL). This can lead to serious, irreversible damage to health even in early life years. Early countermeasures are therefore urgently needed.
On the occasion of World Children's Day on September 20, the German Liver Foundation points out that many children suffer from non-alcoholic fatty liver due to unhealthy diet and lack of exercise. If it is not detected early and treated, serious damage to the important metabolic organ threatened. Also on other liver diseases of various causes, which can already lead to liver damage in children, report the experts of the German Liver Foundation.
More and more children are suffering from fatty liver, which is associated with significant other health risks. (Image: magicmine / fotolia.com) Urgent need for action
The German Liver Foundation uses the World Children's Day, "to raise awareness of the alarming increase in serious overweight and fatty liver in children." Here there is an urgent need for action, because the numbers are alarming, said Professor Ulrich Baumann, Specialist in Pediatric and Youth Medicine from the Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Hannover Medical School (MHH).
Every tenth child affected
"More and more children are too fat and suffer from chronic liver disease such as non-alcoholic fatty liver," says Professor Baumann. A report by the European Gastroenterologists Association in 2016 shows that one in ten European-treated children has a non-alcoholic fatty liver.
Fatty liver is a serious health risk
Already three-year-olds are affected, according to the announcement of the German Liver Foundation. The World Health Organization (WHO) alarm here and warns that in Europe, every third child between the ages of six and nine already morbidly overweight. Almost half of all seriously overweight children develop a non-alcoholic fatty liver, which, although only in very rare cases attract attention by disease symptoms, but represents a major health risk.
The risk of liver cancer is also increasing
Children with a fatty liver also suffer from liver inflammation and irreversible scarring of the liver tissue, a so-called fibrosis. This can cause cirrhosis of the liver, which in turn significantly increases the risk of liver cell cancer in children and adolescents. "In obese children and adolescents, the attending physician should always clarify a fatty liver disease," explains Professor. Michael P. Manns, CEO of the German Liver Foundation.
Early diagnosis is important
With a simple ultrasound examination liver changes can be made visible and an evaluation of the liver values provides further information if necessary. Thus, elevated liver values (GPT, GOT and GGT) indicate liver disease. With a timely diagnosis, can be achieved by a treatment or a diet change and sports often a regression of fat deposits in the liver, reports the German Liver Foundation.
Other liver diseases in children
In addition to the non-alcoholic fatty liver called the German Liver Foundation as other liver diseases in which children can already suffer, for example, the so-called biliary atresia, various metabolic diseases and autoimmune diseases. Also, some children are affected by inflammation of the liver such as by the hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus. With the information leaflet "Liver diseases in children", the German Liver Foundation points to the different liver diseases that may affect children. (Fp)