A staggering 1.5 billion people worldwide are estimated to have steatotic liver disease, yet this epidemic has remained largely invisible in global health policy until now. This figure represents approximately one in five adults globally, making SLD one of the most common liver conditions on the planet—comparable in burden to diabetes and cardiovascular disease combined.
Despite these alarming statistics, fatty liver disease has been conspicuously absent from international noncommunicable disease frameworks. The WHO’s newly adopted resolution marks the first formal acknowledgment of this public health crisis at the global governance level. The recognition comes as clinicians and public health officials increasingly recognize that SLD is not merely a liver concern but a systemic disease linked to metabolic dysfunction, obesity, and cardiovascular complications.
With such a massive affected population, the implications for healthcare systems are profound. Enhanced surveillance, prevention strategies, and system strengthening are now prioritized to address this long-neglected condition and improve outcomes for the billions living with fatty liver disease.
Read the full article on GMJ Newsroom.
Was this article helpful?
