(23-07-08) Fatty liver the silent assassin

WE'RE officially number one in the world.

Not for athletic ability, mathematic genius or environmental sustainability, but for obesity, according to research released last week released by the Baker Heart Research Institute.

Of the nine million overweight Australians out there, four million are considered obese -- which equates to around a quarter of our population.

While the endless number of articles on cellulite-busting and double chin-remedying solutions may capture the interest of many a glossy magazine buyer, it's obviously not working to solve our expanding problem.

You see, vanity aside, the extra kilos of fat are working internally to kill us.

All roads lead from obesity straight towards most of the health conditions plaguing Australia's society.

Heart disease, diabetes, various cancers, gout, osteoarthritis, gall bladder disease, sleep apnoea, asthma and fatty liver are just some of the results.

While the answer to our problem sounds far less glamorous than a 'drop 10 dress sizes in a week' type strategy, the truth is we have to have more patience and adopt longer term mindsets.

In fact, most of the health problems respond only to the more sensible weight loss efforts.

Take fatty liver for example. Fast weight loss can actually exacerbate the condition, while gradual weight loss can reverse and resolve the problem.

Fatty liver is exceptionally common and can be deadly if ignored.

Sure, you can hide a fatty liver quite nicely under your clothes, but leave it to lurk, and it becomes a killer.

A silent killer at that. There are generally no initial symptoms to alert you to having the problem.

Affecting somewhere between 10 to 24 per cent of the world's population, this type of liver disease is dangerously common.

And with child obesity on the rise, it's sadly affecting more and more children.

Left untreated, it can progress towards a condition called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which involves liver inflammation, destruction of liver cells and scarring of the liver (cirrhosis).

It's picked up by a liver function blood test, an abdominal ultrasound (or MRI or CT scan) and in some cases a liver biopsy. Elevated liver enzymes, seen often on a routine blood test, may alert you to the problem.

Factors that can cause fatty liver include rapid weight gain, obesity, rapid weight loss (as seen in starvation), diabetes, insulin resistance, alcohol, high cholesterol, high triglycerides and certain medications.

How do you tackle the problem? Chat with your doctor about running a routine liver function blood test.

If specific liver enzyme levels are up, you'll most likely benefit from an abdominal ultrasound to identify the problem.

Diet-wise, there are many positive steps you can take to reverse the condition and prevent the development of cirrhosis.

Try these strategies and chat with your local accredited practising dietitian for more individual advice:

* Adopt a sensible weight loss plan if you are overweight. Rapid weight loss through extreme diet plans or starvation will only exacerbate the problem.

* Aim to limit your intake of saturated fats. Use low-fat dairy foods in lieu of full cream varieties. Choose lean red and white meat cuts instead of cooking a fat-laden steak, hamburger quality mince, greasy chicken wings and battered/crumbed options. Try substituting your mid-meal snack with a tub of low-fat yoghurt or piece of fruit.

* Load the antioxidants in your diet. Antioxidants help protect the liver from damage associated with the fatty, inflammatory changes. Sure, there are antioxidants available in bottled pill form at the supermarket, chemist and health food store, but studies prove you benefit more from natural food sources. Fresh fruits and vegetables are packed with them, particularly the dark orange, red and green varieties. Make sure you are having your two to three fruit serves and 2* cups of mixed vegetables every day before resorting to supplements.

* Focus on blood glucose levels. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes or insulin resistance, it is important you take steps to manage your blood glucose levels. Choosing foods that have a low GI rating (eg. heavy wholegrain breads, rolled oats, apples, oranges, sweet potato etc), sticking to a low-fat diet, eating regularly over the day and getting active on a daily basis can help you achieve this goal and limit undue damage to the liver. Chat with an APD for more specific strategies to help manage your blood glucose levels.

* Avoid or strictly moderate your alcohol consumption. Excessive alcohol intake contributes to raising blood triglyceride levels and weight, both leading to additional stress on a fatty liver. Consider temporarily avoiding alcohol to help in the reversal of the condition.

CHERIE HUGO (BHSc MasterNutrDiet) is the dietitian for John Flynn Hospital and consults privately to nursing homes, schools, individuals, media and industry.


Source: www.goldcoast.com.au

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