Updated: 2012-03-05 16:42:38 CST
Most people associate liver problems like cirrhosis with years of heavy drinking. However, people who have never touched a drop of liquor in their lives are increasingly receiving unhealthy liver panel test results. The cause is obesity.
Excess body fat is a risk factor for a condition known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It occurs when the liver is unable to clear the excess fat from the blood and instead stores it. This can cause scarring and loss of healthy function, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, it is possible to reverse the condition.
Experts from the Baylor College of Medicine recently told the school's news source that every pound a person loses gets them one step closer to healthy liver function. This can be accomplished through a healthy diet and exercise.
"Losing 10 percent body weight primarily reduces fat inside the abdomen, which triggers a significant amount of liver healing," Dr. John Vierling told the news source. "It's easy for people to get discouraged when it comes to weight loss, but understanding that every pound lost is helping your liver heal is motivating."
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