In September last year, Xiaozhi did health checkup at school and the result showed high aminotransferase(ALT) level. He and his parents went to hospital for further checkup. The B ultrasound showed that he had moderate fatty liver with the right lobus of maximumly 148 mm in oblique diameter, which is even bigger than an adult’s, while Xiaozhi was only 10 years old. The doctor was stunned and suggested Xiaozhi do liver biopsy.
Xiaozhi's checkup report of September 2019
Liver biopsy is a minimally invasive surgery. A doctor removes a sample of tissue from your liver and sends it to a lab to see if you have liver inflammation or damage. It is a major standard for difficult and complicated liver diseases diagnosis because of its high accuracy rate.However, Xiaozhi refused because he was afraid of it.
Xiaozhi went to hospital for subsequent visit in May this year. Though the checkup result showed that he had mild fatty liver(moderate fatty liver last year), he was obviously fatter than last year. The doctor thought there was more to it. He recommended Xiaozhi liver biopsy again.
Encouraged by father, Xiaozhi agreed to undergo liver biospy. After checkup, Xiaozhi was diagnosed of non-alcoholic fatty liver hepatitis accompanied by severe liver cirrhosis of S3-4.
Xiaozhi's checkup report of May 2020
It was really an unpalatable truth. Xiaozhi’s parents would never have thought that their 11-year-old son had such a severe liver cirrhosis.
Xiaozhi’s parents said Xiaozhi had a good appetite and preferred heavily oily and salty foods. More than that, he liked to stuff himself every meal. So he was getting fatter and fatter. In China, many parents mistakenly think that the more their kids eat, the better physical fitness they will get.
Slimmers get fatty liver too
Photo: hellorf.com/No. PIC11284
Those who look slim but eat a lot and those who eat cucumbers or apples every day for a slender figure may get fatty liver too as an unhealthy diet will damage their livers and cause metabolic dysfunction in the long run.
Fat commonly accumulates in subcutaneous tissues. While the slender who have fatty liver get fat stacked in their livers. Maybe they are not as healthy as they look.
Be alert to liver cancer
Photo: wikimedia
Fatty liver does little harm to your body in the short term. But if left untreated, it could develop into fatty liver hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and even liver cancer stepwise.
Except for the damage to your liver, fatty liver disturbs glucolipid metabolism, and furthermore, causing high blood pressure, high blood lipid, high blood sugar, coronary heart disease, etc..
How to prevent fatty liver disease?
Photo: hellorf.com/No. PIC10994
Maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight or obese, lose weight gradually.
Eat a balanced diet. The Mediterranean diet, which is high in vegetables, fruits and good fats, may help lower bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Exercise regularly.
Limit your alcohol consumption, or do not drink.
Take medications as prescribed. Your doctor may prescribe statins to lower triglyceride levels or anti-diabetic drugs if you are diabetic or insulin-resistant.
If you have had fatty liver, just take it easy and start a healthy lifestyle and diet. But you should go to hospital to identify causes for a targeted treatment when necessary.
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