Obesity May Cause Liver Damage By Age Eight

A long-term study involving 635 children found that obese eight-year-olds are almost twice as likely to have elevated levels of an enzyme called ALT in their blood, which signals their liver function may be impaired. Lead author Dr. Jennifer Woo Baidal writes, “With the rise in childhood obesity, we are seeing more kids with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in our pediatric weight management practice… Many parents know that obesity can lead to type 2 diabetes and other metabolic conditions, but there is far less awareness that obesity, even in young children, can lead to serious liver disease.” Journal of Pediatrics, April 2018