The burden of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rapidly growing in every region of the world from 1990 to 2019.

Abstract

The latest meta-analyses suggest NAFLD is increasing globally. Its limitations may preclude accurate estimates. We evaluated the global NAFLD burden and its' trends in prevalence and NAFLD liver-related mortality (LRM) by sex, age, region, and country over the past 3 decades using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 study. Crude and age-standardized NAFLD prevalence and NAFLD-LRM rates were obtained for all-age individuals with NAFLD from 204 countries/territories between 1990 and 2019. Joinpoint trend analysis assessed time trends. Weighted average of the annual percent change (APC) over the period 1990-2019 and 2010-2019 were reported. All-age (children and adults) crude global NAFLD prevalence increased:10.5% (561 million)-16.0% (1,236 million); an APC increase: + 1.47% (95% CI, 1.44%, 1.50%). Among adults (+20y), crude NAFLD prevalence increased (1990: 17.6%, 2019:23.4%; APC: + 1.00%, 95% CI: 0.97%, 1.02%). In all-age groups, the crude NAFLD-LRM rate (per 100,000) increased (1990: 1.75%, 2019: 2.18%; APC: + 0.77% (95% CI, 0.70%, 0.84%). By Joinpoint analysis, from 2010 to 2019, worsening all-age trends in NAFLD prevalence and LRM were observed among 202 and 167 countries, respectively. In 2019, there were 1.24 billion NAFLD prevalent cases and 168,969 associated deaths; Asia regions accounted for 57.2% of all-age prevalent cases and 46.2% of all-age NAFLD-LRM. The highest all-age crude NAFLD prevalence rate was the Middle East and North Africa (LRM 26.5%); the highest all-age crude NAFLD-LRM rate was Central Latin America (5.90 per 100,000). NAFLD is increasing globally in all-age groups-over 80% of countries experienced an increase in NAFLD and NAFLD-LRM. These data have important policy implications for affected countries and for global health.