Fatty Liver

Fatty liver, also known as fatty liver disease (FLD), is a reversible condition where large vacuoles of triglyceride fat accumulate in liver cells via the process of steatosis (i.e. abnormal retention of lipids within a cell).

What is Fatty Liver?

Fatty liver is a very common disorder and up to 20 percent of adults and approximately 5 percent of children are affected.

Fatty Liver Pathology

Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy Treatment

Fatty Liver Diagnosis

New spin-out launches technology to revolutionize hormone disorder diagnosis

The University of Birmingham and Imperial College London have announced the launch of Intelligent Mass Spec Solutions Ltd (IMS Solutions), a new spin-out that is set to revolutionize diagnosis of conditions featuring disordered steroid hormone metabolism.

22 Sep 2026

Study identifies bile acid that helps reduce excess fat accumulation in the liver

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), now known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), is a common condition that causes excess fat to build up in the liver, affecting about one-quarter of adults worldwide.

17 Sep 2026

Study defines early-onset cirrhosis caused by fatty liver disease

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have published the first study to define early-onset cirrhosis caused by metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a condition known as fatty liver disease.

16 Sep 2026

Cockroaches have a reputation for surviving almost anything, but this diet proved deadly

A laboratory study tested how ultra-processed, unprocessed, and mixed diets affected survival in 127 lobster cockroaches, Nauphoeta cinerea. Cockroaches fed only ultra-processed foods had higher mortality than those given unprocessed or mixed diets, although the study could not determine whether processing, ingredients, nutrition, or differences in food intake caused the effect.

13 Sep 2026

Symptomless liver condition linked to heart and kidney disease

A common liver condition thought to be harmless could be dramatically increasing the risk of heart disease, kidney failure and premature death, according to a new review led by University of Manchester and Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust researchers.

10 Sep 2026

Dual-drug microneedle patch targets inflammation and fat browning

The worldwide obesity crisis has become a dominant public health crisis across the globe. Over 3 billion people worldwide currently suffer from obesity, and forecasts warn the number will rise above 4 billion by 2035, accounting for more than half the global population.

4 Sep 2026

Blocking a key protein protects against metabolic liver damage

Obesity-related metabolic liver disease affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, but only some fraction of those livers develop scarring, become inflamed, and eventually fail. University of Utah researchers have identified a protein, EFHD1, that appears to drive that transition by triggering an out-of-place antiviral immune response.

1 Sep 2026

Study shows how cancer can act as a systemic disease

In their quest to understand how cancers take root, grow and spread, scientists have for the past half-century explored the genetic aberrations and microenvironmental peculiarities of tumors and their constituent cells.

28 Aug 2026

Ketogenic diet excels at reversing prediabetes and fatty liver

There is no shortage of popular diets to try, and they can generally produce weight loss if followed to the letter. But are all diet plans created equal in terms of reducing the cardiometabolic risks that come with obesity, such as Type 2 diabetes and liver disease?

27 Aug 2026

Ketogenic diet provides greatest health benefits for treating obesity

A diet that severely limits carbohydrates but is high in fat has the greatest health benefits for people with obesity compared to a Mediterranean diet or a low-fat diet, according to a clinical trial publishing August 27 in the Cell Press journal Cell Metabolism.

27 Aug 2026

Phytoene in tomatoes may help protect against fatty liver disease

New study suggests a lesser-known compound in tomatoes may help protect against fatty liver disease, which affects more than 1 in 3 American adults.

26 Aug 2026

NIH grants support research on whether PFAS exposure increases risk of liver and endometrial cancers

Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center have received two grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) totaling $7.5 million to study whether exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the synthetic compounds known as "forever chemicals," increases the risk of liver cancer and endometrial cancer.

25 Aug 2026

UC Berkeley researchers find new potential treatment for obesity and diabetes

Over the past five years, medications called GLP-1s have revolutionized the treatment of metabolic disorders like obesity, diabetes and fatty liver diseases.

21 Aug 2026

Natural hormone activates brain-to-liver signaling pathway to suppress liver inflammation

Researchers at McMaster University have discovered that a naturally occurring hormone best known for suppressing appetite and promoting weight loss also helps protect the liver from inflammation through a previously unknown signalling pathway, opening new possibilities for treating advanced fatty liver disease.

10 Aug 2026

Texas A&M study links polyethylene microplastics to fatty liver disease

Microplastics have become nearly impossible to avoid. They have been detected in oceans, drinking water and even the human body, but scientists are still uncovering how they affect human health.

3 Aug 2026

New model holds promise as a non-invasive, low-cost tool for MAFLD screening

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) represents a predominant cause of chronic liver disease, underscoring the demand for accessible, non-invasive diagnostic tools.

23 Jul 2026

Lifestyle changes improve MASLD by suppressing key molecular pathway

Lifestyle modification is the cornerstone of managing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a growing cause of chronic liver disease worldwide.

23 Jul 2026

Study: Bariatric surgery is safe, effective for obese adolescents and young adults

A new study from researchers at LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center, FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and Metamor Institute demonstrates that metabolic and bariatric surgery can be delivered safely and effectively for adolescents and young adults living with severe obesity, offering promising improvements in weight loss and obesity-related health conditions.

13 Jul 2026

New drug candidate treats severe fatty liver disease by improving gut health

Researchers discovered that a potential drug developed at Michigan Medicine treats severe fatty liver disease by improving gut health, according to a study published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

7 Jul 2026

Fatty liver disease fuels aggressive metastatic colorectal cancer spread

Researchers at VIB and KU Leuven, with international partners, have uncovered how fatty liver disease can fuel the most aggressive form of metastatic colorectal cancer.

1 Jul 2026