Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in South Asians: A Review of the Literature

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are national and global epidemics. The disease is characterized by a spectrum of liver steatosis (fat deposition), inflammation (in NASH) and fibrosis. NAFLD and specifically NASH can lead to cirrhosis, which carry risks of progression to portal hypertension and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). NASH is also associated with higher mortality from cardiovascular causes. Most of the data for NAFLD has been obtained from the perspective of developed nations, although the disease is increasing and threatening to reach epidemic proportions across the world. Emerging data is notable for high prevalence of NAFLD in South Asian populations, presumably resulting from a combination of underlying genetic polymorphisms and changes in socio-economic status. It is also notable that an ‘Asian Paradox’ has been defined for NAFLD based upon the observation of lower than pre-defined body mass index (BMI), otherwise termed as “lean NAFLD”, among this population. Yet, data remains limited in regards to the characteristics of NAFLD/NASH in this population. In this article, we present a review of the literature and discuss the prevalence, associated risk factors and burden of HCC in South Asians with NAFLD.