Rising liver disease in children; avoid these lifestyle risks

A recent study by the Pediatric Gastroenterology Department at SAT Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, has revealed alarming data about liver disease in children. It shows that 65% of obese children aged 9 to 12 have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Among overweight children in the same age group, 35% also suffer from fatty liver. This study has been ongoing since 2020, and SAT Hospital is the only government hospital in Kerala with a pediatric gastroenterology department.

Over the past ten years, 526 children were diagnosed with chronic liver diseases at SAT Hospital. Of these, 60 children required liver transplants. These numbers reflect a concerning trend linked to parents' focus on keeping their children slim and fit, often overlooking the quality of their diet. Children's eating habits are shaped by their parents' choices, starting from packaged baby foods and continuing with junk and fast foods as they grow.

Experts point to poor diet, lack of physical activity, and too much screen time on TVs and mobile phones as the main causes of fatty liver in children. High sugar intake and excessive fried foods also contribute to the problem. Fatty liver disease can progress to serious conditions like liver cirrhosis and liver cancer, which may eventually require a liver transplant.

This year’s World Liver Day carries the message "Food is medicine," emphasizing that fatty liver can be prevented with a proper diet. While mobile phones and TVs are not harmful if used properly, many children are addicted to them. Some parents use mobile phones to calm their children during breastfeeding, which adds to the problem. Children often consume foods high in fat throughout the day. Fatty liver starts when just 5% of fat builds up in the liver, but it becomes visible in ultrasound scans only when fat reaches 30%.

The situation is serious because by the time fatty liver is detected through scans, fat accumulation has already reached 30%. Liver dysfunction is also linked to diabetes, which is common in Kerala. When liver function declines, it affects the whole body. If the liver stops working completely, a transplant is the only option. For many people in Kerala, liver transplants are expensive and difficult to afford.

To protect children’s livers, lifestyle and diet changes are essential. Children should be taught about healthy habits and given good food choices to prevent fatty liver and other liver diseases.