DEAR DOCTORS: My father passed away due to unexplained liver problems that we only now know was fatty liver disease. It's 20 years later, and a CT scan shows some fat in my own liver. My liver readings are normal, but I'm the same age as my father was when his issues began. Should I be concerned?
DEAR READER: The term fatty liver disease refers to a range of liver disorders that are not caused by alcohol consumption, autoimmune disease, drug use or virus. It's the most common liver disease in the US, and it is estimated to affect up to 30% of individuals. Once known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, the condition is now more accurately called metabolic-associated fatty liver disease, or MAFLD.
