Researchers deem NAFLD a ‘public health priority’

Researchers developed a consensus statement that demonstrated the increased need for support in addressing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease as a global public health problem, according to a presentation at the Digital NAFLD Summit 2021.

Following a global NAFLD policy review in 2020 (Lazarus, et al. Nature Reviews Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2021), Jeffrey V. Lazarus, PhD, University of Barcelona, vice chair of EASL, and colleagues found, across 102 countries, none were well prepared to address NAFLD. Further, close to a third of countries received an overall score of zero in the domains of policy, guidelines, civil awareness, epidemiology, detection and management.

“This lack of policy background and lack of recommendations around models of care led us to bring together a large group to work on a public health consensus statement and recommendations in order to have a coordinated response and form the basis of a global NAFLD roadmap,” Lazarus said.

From December 2020 to March 2021, experts developed a final set of 37 consensus statements and 26 recommendations that addressed a broad range of topics relevant to policymakers, practitioners, civil society groups, research institutes and affected populations.

Highlights from the NAFLD consensus answering the questions of ‘what will it take to advance the NAFLD public health agenda’ follow.

Form leadership for the NAFLD public health agenda that collaborates across disciplines to develop guidelines and action plans.

Develop educational courses and engage health communication experts to build awareness.

Improve access to effective treatments that have a sustained impact.

Implement models of care based on earlier work that equips providers with the necessary tools.

“We have a long way to go to make NAFLD a public health priority and ensure adequate responses from the local to the global level. But there is cause for optimism,” Lazarus concluded. “We have more momentum than ever and a growing coalition of experts across disciplines ready to advance this agenda. ... We now need to develop national and global action plans and roadmaps to translate this into action.”