Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : June 14, 2018 6:53 PM IST
It would seem that all work and no play has made Jack an unhealthy boy. The current paediatric population has become more susceptible to Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver disease (NAFLD), a disease that used to predominantly plague adults from the age of 40 and above with high risk of heart disease. But in recent times, after obesity rates among children have skyrocketed, so has their vulnerability to NAFLD. The disease is caused by an excess of fat content in the liver. However, NAFLD strikes in the form of Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, which could lead to irreversible liver damage and scarring.
Kids love and enjoy junk food, it is parent's responsibility to keep a check on their junk food intake. Today's kids are demanding and thus they demand fancy food in their lunch boxes. Gone are the days, when nutritional foods were packed by our mothers for our lunch boxes. Instead, it has been substituted by overloaded pizzas, burgers, wafers, nachos and instant noodles. This is not only the kid's mistake but in today's time both the parents are working, thus they do not have time for preparing a meal. They prefer meals that can be cooked instantly and saves their time.
NAFLD warrants the irreversibility of the impact on a child. So, major lifestyle adjustments must be made before it's too late. While keeping a check on the kid's diet is the priority, ensuring that they engage in physical activities is equally important. Encourage your kid to participate in physical and sports activities in schools or should develop a hobby for sports. This would help in managing the kid's body weight and thus reducing the chances of fat content getting stored in the body.
Having liver related complications can have serious consequences on a child which may lead to liver failure. So, it's important to note that the earlier the detection, the more effective the treatment will be. The symptom of NAFLD that one shouldn't ignore is the pain in the upper right section of the abdomen. Physical examination of the child may show an enlarged liver and some may have patchy, dark discoloration of the skin which will be present over the neck and under the arm area, in which case, medical assistance should be sought immediately.
NAFLD can be triggered by diabetes or pre-diabetes, being overweight or obese, elevation in blood lipids and also caused by high blood pressure. The presence of type 2 diabetes can have a major impact on the development of NAFLD and NASH. Studies have suggested that cardiovascular disease have a greater chance of being developed on those who have NAFLD and is also the leading cause of death. It can lead to other impediments like cirrhosis which further causes liver failure and necessitates a liver transplant.
If your child is obese, the ideal thing is to have their liver enzymes checked. Diagnosis occurs through routine blood tests or through abdominal ultrasound or CT scan. If an overweight child exhibits any mild inflation in their liver, then the child is suspected to have NAFLD.
Once the child checks positive for NAFLD, they have to get checked for NASH as well as it is more severe and aggressive. This can be done by doing a liver biopsy, the only way which we can depend on to tell if a child has NASH or fatty liver is through liver biopsy. A fragment of the liver is examined under a microscope to check for fatty infiltration of the liver along with scarring and if both are present then the child is diagnosed with NASH, if not then it is only fatty liver. Consulting a physician on the risk factors associated with this is essential.
Though both NAFLD and NASH aren't reversible, they can be prevented. Losing excess fat and keeping tabs on one's cholesterol is most suggested for regression of fat within the liver. Children should be allotted at least an hour or two of physical exertion a day in addition to following a good and a balanced diet, especially if the child is overweight. Their food intake should also change, like limiting portions and eating a lot of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats.
In order to ensure the kid is eating the right nutritional food, the parents should try to make the food interesting. One can feed the kid burger, by using whole wheat grain bun and can put all green vegetables in it, this way the kid would be willing to eat the nutritional food and parent's intention of giving their kid a nutritional diet is also fulfilled.
To inculcate healthy eating habits in kids and to teach them to make the right choice, the parents should encourage the participation of kids in purchasing the groceries and in preparation of meals at home.
This article was contributed by Ms. Shalini Arvind, Chief Dietitian, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore
