Is birth weight a risk factor for fatty liver disease?

A study from the University of California has found that children with a high birth weight are more likely to develop hepatitis from fatty liver disease. This is after researchers conducted a study in 530 individuals under the age of 21 who had a confirmed diagnosis of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). They collected the birth weights of the individuals and found the link. Interestingly, they also found that children with a lower birth weight were more likely to develop scarring of the liver.

NAFLD describes a spectrum of diseases that begin with fatty deposits on the liver, as this disease progresses, the liver can become fibrotic and then enters a period of cirrhosis, which means it is permanently scarred. In extreme cases this can eventually lead to liver cancer. Birthweight itself involves many factors including maternal and in utero, this is one of the first studies to identify the risks of both extremes of weight in relation to developing NAFLD in later life.