Fatty liver occurs when excess fat accumulates in liver cells, the most common cause is alcohol. An unhealthy diet such as fried foods, high in sugar and protein increases the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Dr. Vu Truong Khanh, Head of the Department of Gastroenterology, Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi, said that eating a lot of sweets can lead to fatty liver through many mechanisms. Sugars such as sucrose, glucose, fructose are converted into glycogen and stored in the liver. When the body needs energy, the liver hydrolyzes glycogen into glucose and releases it into the blood. If you only consume a moderate amount of sugar, such as eating fresh fruit, the liver will do a good job of metabolism.

Consuming foods rich in sucrose, glucose, fructose causes the liver to work continuously, leading to overload. In case the body has excess energy, the liver converts this sugar into fat. The accumulation of fat leads to fatty liver.

The habit of eating a lot of sweets can easily lead to overweight, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Calories that are not fully converted into energy are stored as triglyceride fat in the liver, causing fatty liver. According to research published in the journal Diabetes Investigation of the Asian Association for the Study of Diabetes (AASD), many type 2 diabetes patients have fatty liver.

A high-sugar diet also promotes insulin resistance, preventing glucose from entering cells and accumulating in the blood. The pancreas increases insulin secretion to balance blood sugar levels. High insulin levels increase triglycerides and fatty acid deposits in the liver.

In healthy people, fat accounts for only 3-5% of liver weight. Fat exceeding 5% is mild fatty liver, 10-25% is moderate fatty liver. Severe fatty liver is when this index is more than 30%.

Fatty liver often develops silently, without obvious symptoms, and is easily confused with many other diseases. If not detected and treated promptly, the disease can lead to liver dysfunction, fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.

Dr. Khanh said that many Vietnamese people suffer from fatty liver disease. About 20-35% of fatty livers develop into chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. There is currently no specific medicine to treat fatty liver disease. Treatment methods only reduce symptoms and prevent the disease from progressing.

Everyone needs to calculate the amount of sugar they take in each day. They should have a reasonable diet such as increasing fiber and good protein; limiting fat, exercising regularly, maintaining a reasonable weight. Prioritize eating fresh fruit instead of cakes, ice cream, and tea; reduce the use of soft drinks and sugary drinks.

Cut down on foods containing refined sugar such as bread, instant cereals, sauces... Limit alcohol, do not smoke; avoid staying up late; get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B; treat liver diseases to prevent the risk of fatty liver.

Trinh Mai

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