World Liver Day (WLD) is a global healthcare event commemorated every year on the 19th of April with the intent to raise awareness about liver disease in the general public. Globally about 2 million people die every year due to liver diseases. Deaths due to liver diseases are predicted to rise by 35% by 2050 and this is mainly linked to the rising prevalence of fatty liver disease.

This year, 2023, the World Liver Day theme is “Be Vigilant, Do Regular Liver Check-Up, Fatty Liver Can Affect Anyone.” The theme focuses to emphasise the practise of regular liver check-ups, as fatty liver can affect anyone, irrespective of the risk factors such as obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and excess consumption of alcohol. Up to 75% of adults may be affected of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (liver disease caused in patients who drink little or no alcohol). About 10-15% of individuals with fatty liver have a progressive form of liver disease known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) that can progress to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.

Of the 2 million annual deaths due to liver disease, liver cirrhosis accounts for half while the rest are caused by hepatitis B, hepatitis C and liver cancer. Together, cirrhosis and liver cancer account for 3.5% of all deaths worldwide.

About one in four individuals in the world consume alcohol (2 billion). Out of these about 75-100 million are at risk of alcohol-related liver disease. In addition to this, 2 billion adults are obese/overweight, and 400 million are diabetic, considered to be the risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and liver cancer. An estimated 350 million have hepatitis B and 60 million have hepatitis C, the majority of whom are not aware of the infection. Hepatitis B and C are major risk factors for liver cancer. Use of drugs, complementary and alternative medications are also increasing as a cause of liver disease.

 

There is a need to spread awareness of liver disease, its serious consequences, associated risk factors, and prevention. Recognition of risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, excess alcohol consumption is important. Periodic liver checks may help detect liver disease early in its course. Screening for hepatitis B and C at least once in a lifetime will also help diagnose asymptomatic viral hepatitis.