Fatty liver disease (also known as hepatic steatosis) is a widespread condition in which excess fat accumulates in the liver. Although it’s normal for a functional liver to have some fat in it, you’re considered to have fatty liver disease when your liver is made up of at least 5 to 10 percent fat by weight.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with fatty liver disease, you might wonder how this condition affects health and life expectancy. After all, knowing your life expectancy can be a catalyst for valuable lifestyle changes!
Keep reading and we’ll explain why fatty liver disease tends to arise, describe the condition’s health consequences, and draw on data to reveal the relationship between fatty liver disease and life expectancy.
What Causes Fatty Liver Disease?
Here are the pre-existing conditions and risk factors that most commonly contribute to fatty liver disease:
- Excess alcohol consumption (alcoholism has numerous negative health effects)
- Obesity
- Insulin resistance
- Type 2 diabetes
- Metabolic syndrome
- Some prescription medications (e.g., steroids, diltiazem, tamoxifen)
- Hypothyroidism
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Hypopituitarism
- Elevated cholesterol or triglycerides
- Sleep apnea
Note that it’s possible for people without any of the risk factors listed above to develop fatty liver disease.
What Health Problems Can a Fatty Liver Cause?
Although fatty liver disease might sound like a worrisome condition, and it’s by no means good for you, most people don’t experience any serious health consequences as a result of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (AKA NAFLD, which we’ll describe in the next section).
Nevertheless, the Cleveland Clinic calls fatty liver disease “an early warning sign to help you avoid a fatal liver condition, like cirrhosis or liver cancer. Even if you don’t have symptoms or any liver function problems at this point, it’s still important to take steps to stop or reverse fatty liver disease.”
If you don’t modify your lifestyle and take other steps to reverse it, fatty liver disease can worsen and turn into cirrhosis of the liver (serious liver scarring, also known as fibrosis). Without treatment, liver cirrhosis can be life-threatening. In addition, cirrhosis can lead to liver cancer or liver failure, both of which can also be fatal. Having cirrhosis also increases your risk of cardiovascular disease.
NAFL vs. NASH: What’s the Difference?
The acronym for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is NAFLD. There are two types of NAFLD:
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL): If you have this form of NAFLD, your liver has a buildup of excess fat, but you are not suffering from significant liver inflammation or damage. NAFL is usually reversible with treatment and lifestyle modifications.
- Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): With this type of NAFLD, the buildup of fat in your liver is accompanied by liver inflammation and damage. This can cause liver scarring and, as we described in the last section, can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. It is possible to reverse NASH, but it is more difficult than reversing NAFL.
Most people who have NAFLD have NAFL, while only a small percentage of those with NAFLD have NASH. Researchers have found that an estimated 24 percent of American adults have NAFLD, but only 1.5 to 6.5 percent have NASH.
How Does Fatty Liver Disease Affect Life Expectancy?
So—now that we know how fatty liver disease can impact health, let’s address the central question of this article: what is the life expectancy of someone with fatty liver disease?
According to a study from 2022, the life expectancy of those with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is estimated to be about 2.8 years less than that of people without NAFLD.
In addition, a 2021 study examining the Swedish population found that the condition shortened life expectancy by almost six years in those diagnosed with NAFLD between ages 40 and 60.
Investigate Your Own Life Expectancy
The Life Expectancy Calculator team leverages the best that current science has to create precise, reliable models that allow you to accurately predict your own life expectancy.
Use the Life Expectancy Calculator to empower yourself with the knowledge of your life expectancy—this info can help you make meaningful behavioral adjustments to prolong your life.
Keep reading our “Life Lessons” posts (with many more to come!) to educate yourself about the numerous factors that can impact life expectancy
