​Fatty liver disease, social media myths and the risk of self-diagnosis​

Social media plays an important role in awareness around health and wellness, but sometimes it blurs the line between facts and myths. Fatty liver disease is one such condition that has become a common subject of online content. The rising numbers of this disease make it all the more important to understand the risks of believing myths and ‘self-diagnosis.’ In India’s context, government data (2024) shows 1 in 3 Indians has a fatty liver.

Fatty liver disease is a condition where excess fat accumulates in liver cells, exceeding the liver’s normal fat content. As per World Journal of Hepatology, the condition is diagnosed when fat makes up more than 5% of the liver’s weight in people who consume little or no alcohol.

Note- NAFLD is now referred to as MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease). The updated term reflects the links between fatty liver and metabolic problems.

Fatty liver can cause a number of health-related complications, ranging from fatigue to life-threatening liver problems.

A study published in The Frontiers shows that many videos on platforms like TikTok related to fatty liver disease are of low informational quality. Videos from health professionals tend to be more accurate, but overall content remains uneven.

Myth 1- “Fatty liver only affects overweight people.”
What studies show: Obesity is a major risk for fatty liver, however, lean people can also develop it. A large systematic review in the Journal of Hepatology found that around 25 % were lean rather than overweight/obese had fatty liver.
Myth 2- “Supplements or detox drinks can cure fatty liver.”
What studies show: Mayo Clinic emphasises supplements can help improve liver health, but they are not a substitute for evidence based cure. They are beneficial when incorporated with healthy lifestyle changes. Major health institution John Hopkins Medicine notes that liver detox products have no strong clinical database and sometimes they can even cause more harm.

Myth 3- “Only older adults can get fatty liver”
What studies show: It is a common claim that fatty liver disease only affects people in the older age groups. A systematic review in the PLOS One Journal found that in general population studies, about 7.6% of children and adolescents (ages 1–19) had NAFLD. This shows that even children can get fatty liver.

While social media is good for awareness, solely relying on it and even self-diagnosing based on those claims, can be harmful. Mis-diagnosis can cause unnecessary panic. Some may even turn to supplements and tonics, which in turn, as noted by John Hopkins Medicine, can cause more harm than good.

​
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be substituted for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment.