Health Page Editor
Geraldine Ohonba
Health experts are warning that fatty liver disease detected during routine medical checkups should not be ignored, especially among young adults. A new large-scale study has found that people in their 20s and 30s diagnosed with fatty liver disease face about a 20% higher likelihood of developing cancer before age 50 compared to their peers without the condition.
Fatty liver disease occurs when excess fat builds up in the liver, a condition triggered not only by alcohol consumption but also by metabolic issues such as obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol levels. While it often develops silently, its long-term impact can be severe.
The study, conducted by a joint research team from Seoul National University Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, and Seoul Boraemae Hospital, followed approximately 2.87 million young adults who underwent national health screenings between 2013 and 2014. Over a 10-year period, researchers tracked the development of 23 types of cancers across the digestive, respiratory, urogenital, and endocrine systems.
Their findings revealed that individuals with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were significantly more likely to develop cancer at an early age. Particularly, the risk of cancers linked to obesity was found to be notably higher. For instance, the chances of colorectal cancer increased by 32%, kidney cancer by 53%, thyroid cancer by 36%, and endometrial cancer by nearly 4 times.
Published in the international journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the research highlights the growing health burden of fatty liver disease among young South Koreans — affecting more than one in three people in their 20s and 30s.
Experts emphasize that the condition should be treated as a serious early warning sign, not a benign finding. They advise adopting a healthier diet, maintaining an active lifestyle, and undergoing regular liver and metabolic screenings to reduce future cancer risks.
