BANGKOK, Thailand – Fatty liver disease can develop without noticeable symptoms, leaving many people unaware they have the condition until it causes more serious liver damage, according to a Thai weight-loss specialist. Dr Thawatchpong Sawatkitphairoj, known as Dr Nueng, shared advice in a Facebook video on the page Mor Nueng: Healthy Hero, explaining how people can recognize potential risks and when to seek further medical checks.
He said people with significant abdominal fat may have a higher risk of fatty liver disease, even if they feel perfectly healthy. Unlike advanced liver disease, fatty liver often produces no obvious warning signs in its early stages. The condition can progress from fat accumulation and liver inflammation to fibrosis, or scarring. In some cases, this can develop into cirrhosis and eventually liver cancer. Yellowing of the skin and eyes may occur in advanced liver disease, but these signs should not be expected in the early stages.
Dr Thawatchpong recommended including liver function tests in annual health check-ups. If results show elevated liver enzymes, people should consult their doctor about further assessment, which may include an ultrasound or FibroScan to examine liver fat and scarring. He particularly advised people aged 30 to 35 and above who have a large waistline to discuss additional screening with their doctors.
He also highlighted the benefits of weight loss, saying that reducing body weight by 5 to 10 per cent can help improve fatty liver. For someone weighing 80 kilograms, this would mean losing around four to eight kilograms. He encouraged people who are overweight to take action early rather than allow the condition to progress to more serious liver damage.
