Fatty Liver Not Tied to High Death Rates

A common liver disease does not increase the risk of death, a new study concludes. The results surprised researchers. The condition, called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is found most often among people who are obese. Researchers looked at records for 11,000 Americans, ages 20 to 74. Their health was tracked for up to 18 years as part of a large national survey. About 1 out of 5 people had non-alcoholic fatty liver. But they did not have a higher risk of death than others surveyed. Researchers said they didn’t know why fatty liver does not seem to affect death rates. They suggested that fatty liver may protect the body from some of the effects of obesity and diabetes. The journal BMJ published the study. HealthDay News wrote about it November 28.