Global burden of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease: A systematic analysis of Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.
10.1097/CM9.0000000000003517
- Author:
Yichen WANG
1
;
Xiaoquan HUANG
2
;
Sitao YE
2
;
Tian LI
3
;
Yuting HUANG
4
;
Mahesh CHERYALA
5
;
Shiyao CHEN
2
Author Information
1. Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, PA 19104, USA.
2. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
3. Department of Internal Medicine, SUNY Downstate, NY 11203, USA.
4. Division of Gastroenterology, Mayo Clinic Florida, FL 32224, USA.
5. Division of Gastroenterology, Riverside Regional Medical Center, Newport News, VA 23602, USA.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease;
Prevalence;
Sociodemographic Index;
Spatial analysis
- MeSH:
Humans;
Global Burden of Disease;
Prevalence;
Male;
Female;
Middle Aged;
Adult;
Global Health;
Fatty Liver/epidemiology*;
Aged
- From:
Chinese Medical Journal
2025;138(22):2947-2954
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND:Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a common liver disease and may become the leading cause of severe liver disease in the future. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study assesses MAFLD's impact in countries and regions worldwide, providing insights into its prevalence.
METHODS:Prevalence data for MAFLD from 1990 to 2021 by country and region in all sex and age groups were collected from the Global Health Data Exchange. The categorization of countries and geographic areas by development was performed using the Sociodemographic Index (SDI).
RESULTS:Between 1990 and 2021, the global crude prevalence rate of MAFLD increased from 10.6% to 16.1% (beta-coefficient: 0.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.2-0.2%, P <0.001), and the age-standardized prevalence rate was increased from 12.1% to 15.0% (beta-coefficient: 0.1%, 95% CI: 0.1-0.1%, P <0.001). In 2021, MAFLD was estimated to have affected 1.3 billion people worldwide. Significant uptrends were observed in all regions, super regions, and SDI categories. The fastest increase from 1990 to 2021 and the highest prevalence rate in 2021 were experienced by countries and territories with high-middle and middle SDI. An increase in the prevalence of MAFLD from 1990 to 2021 was demonstrated in all but six countries.
CONCLUSIONS:In 2021, the number of patients affected by MAFLD was doubled compared to 1990, and the prevalence rate increased by over 50%. The burden of MAFLD, as measured by prevalence, was more prominent in countries and territories with middle SDI and in those located in North African and Middle Eastern, possibly due to changes in lifestyle in these areas over the past 30 years.
