What is NAFLD?

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) refers to a spectrum of liver diseases characterized by an excessive accumulation of fat in the liver without excessive alcohol consumption (i.e., > 21 standard drinks per week for men and > 14 standard drinks per week for women). It can be broadly divided into nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NAFL is less severe and only includes excessive liver fat (i.e., the presence of fat in > 5% of liver cells), whereas NASH includes excessive liver fat plus liver inflammation and damage.