Rapid Rise in Fatty Liver Cases Among Children, Doctor Links It To Excessive Fast Food

The fast food craze is rapidly growing not only among youth but also young children. Children now prefer junk food over home-cooked, nutritious meals. This increases the risk of serious health issues, particularly fatty liver disease among children.

Fatty liver disease is usually associated with ageing and obesity. However, now it is being observed among children as well owing to excessive consumption of fast food. Continuous fast food intake leads to accumulation of more than 5% fat in the liver, resulting in fatty liver disease. There is also increasing cases of diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure among children.

Speaking to Local 18, Dr. Ashok Kumar, Pediatrician of Doon Medical College Hospital, Dehradun said that junk food usually contains excessive amount of sugar and fat, which promotes diseases like fatty liver.

Due to excessive processing of junk food, children are now prone to diseases like obesity and type-2 diabetes. Owing to these diseases, children urinate frequently and feel more thirsty than usual. Hence, if children show early symptoms, they should immediately focus on physical activities and abstain from fast food.

Dr. Ashok Kumar said that due to wrong eating habits and bad lifestyle, cases of fatty liver are increasing rapidly in children. Excessive consumption of junk food leads to accumulation of bad fats in the liver, which affects the liver.

This increases the risk of increasing cholesterol levels in children, high blood pressure problems and even heart attacks. Hence, it becomes all the more important to keep children away from fast food.