| [ Summary ] |
The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been rapidly increasing. Currently, NAFLD is found in about 30 % of subjects who undergo an annual health check‒up in Japan. Although overeating is thought to be a main causative factor of NAFLD, other factors, including an unbalanced diet and travelling to school by car, are also risk factors for non‒obese NAFLD and NAFLD in children. In the general population, the prevalence of NAFLD is increasing among patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, recent studies have shown that the prevalence of NAFLD is high in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, and inflammatory bowel disease. In this review, we describe the epidemiology of NAFLD by focusing on recent progress in the field studies or surveys. |