Obesity and Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Females in tertiary care Hospital

Abstract

Background: Obesity is now recognized as a disease in its own right due to increase in morbidity and mortality. Obesity is strongly associated with metabolic disorders like diabetes hypertension cardiovascular disease and NAFLD. NAFLD is the most common liver disorder affecting the world and it is now considered as the most common cause of abnormal liver function tests. Aim: To study biochemical profile NAFLD in females and to study its association with obesity. Methodology: This is a descriptive study done in female patients who were diagnosed with fatty liver were enrolled in the study after detailed clinical, anthropometric study and lab work up. Focus was on biochemical and components of metabolic syndrome. Subjects were divided into two groups according to BMI as lean and obese NAFLD and various biochemical and metabolic parameters were compared. Results: This study concluded NAFLD is common in obese middle aged females.90% patients had truncal obesity. Two third of patients had metabolic syndrome with 90% having one component of metabolic syndrome. Biochemical and metabolic dysfunction were more significant in the obese NAFLD group showing that obesity plays a key role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. Conclusion: Obesity is prevailing in rural Indian population. Lack of awareness and health care programmes directed toward identifying obesity as a disease on its own needs to be strengthened. Lifestyle modification and weight is the only effective treatment modality in liver diseases due to obesity.