Children of obese mums at higher risk of fatty liver disease – study - The Guardian

Children of obese mothers have a greater risk of developing fatty liver disease in their 20s, according to researchers who say policymakers need to do more to tackle the promotion of poor-quality food and drink.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can be caused by obesity.

If it progresses it can lead to serious health problems such as cirrhosis and liver cancer, while high levels of fat in the liver are also associated with a greater risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

After taking into account factors such as maternal age, smoking in pregnancy and social class, the team found that obesity in mothers before pregnancy was associated with just over twice the risk of their children going on to have NAFLD at the age of 24 compared with that for non-obese mothers, adding that almost 20% of the offspring of non-obese mothers had NAFLD.

Vanessa Hebditch, of the British Liver Trust, said greater awareness of the risk factors of NAFLD was needed.