Zheng Muliang, director of the Chronic Liver Disease Center at Mennonite Hospital, said that fatty liver disease is not irreversible and can be improved through exercise, dietary management and lifestyle adjustments. (Courtesy of Mennonite Hospital)
[Reporter Wang Jinyi/Hualien Report] A 26-year-old man in Hualien, 176 centimeters tall, once weighed 110 kilograms, had a BMI over 35, had high fasting blood sugar and hepatitis index, and found moderate fatty liver disease on abdominal ultrasound, and was diagnosed with metabolic-associated fatty liver hepatitis (MASLD). Through regular exercise and dietary adjustments, he lost 34 kilograms in 7 months, his BMI dropped to about 24.5, his hepatitis index and fasting blood sugar returned to normal, and his ultrasound also returned to normal. Zheng Muliang, director of the Chronic Liver Disease Center at Mennonite Hospital, emphasized that fatty liver is not a "judgment". As long as you are willing to change your life, your liver has the opportunity to change accordingly.
Mennonite Hospital pointed out today that it recently held a hepatitis patient meeting in the soft-wired chapel on the third floor of Enci Building, attracting more than 100 patients and their families to attend. They discussed everything from metabolic-related fatty liver disease and weight management to how to eat three meals a day. Zheng Muliang said that in the past, when talking about liver diseases, people were most familiar with hepatitis B and C. However, today's fatty liver is no longer just "oil in the liver", but is closely tied to systemic metabolic problems such as obesity, blood sugar, blood lipids and blood pressure.
Zheng Muliang said that if fatty liver continues to worsen, it may progress from simple fat accumulation to steatohepatitis, liver fibrosis, or even cirrhosis and liver cancer. Therefore, in addition to weight, waist circumference, blood sugar, blood lipids, blood pressure and liver fibrosis degree are also worth tracking. For overweight people with fatty liver, the core of non-drug treatment is still weight loss, including exercise, diet control and lifestyle improvement. If you can lose about 5% to 10% of your original body weight, there is a chance that fatty liver and liver fibrosis indicators will improve.
Zheng Muliang reminded that "not looking fat" is not a talisman. Some people with normal weight may still develop fatty liver due to factors such as diet, lifestyle, genetics, etc. You cannot judge by appearance or weight alone. Liver conditions must be confirmed through examinations. Being overweight, sitting for a long time, and eating a high-fat and high-calorie diet are recognized risk factors.
Mennonite Hospital nutritionist teaches you how to "reduce fat in the liver" to eliminate fatty liver. (Courtesy of Mennonite Hospital)
Nutritionist Chen Kemin then replaced "calorie control" with three meals a day that the patients can see. She used the imaginary patient "Along" who is 170 cm, 80 kg, and has a BMI of about 27.6 as an example. Depending on the body position and activity level, he can arrange about 1,400 to 1,750 calories a day. Taking 1,500 calories as an example, breakfast can be paired with sweet potatoes, green vegetables, avocados, yogurt, and hard-boiled eggs.
Chen Kemin said that weight loss does not mean not eating this, not touching that, or not eating, but eating a balanced diet of six major food categories, such as replacing some refined starches with whole grains, eating fish at least twice a week, reducing fried and processed foods, and choosing sugar-free beverages. She also reminded that although fruits are healthy, they are now very sweet, so you still need to pay attention to portion sizes. All-you-can-eat, ice cream, and hand drinks often make people fill up their calories for the day without realizing it.
Zheng Muliang finally reminded that the most fearful thing about fatty liver is not to be detected, but to ignore it after knowing it. Every time you eat less excess calories and walk more steps, you will reduce the risk to your liver in the future.
