Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or simply NAFLD, describes a condition in which excess fat accumulates in the liver of people who consume little or no no alcohol. Although some amount of fat can accumulate in the liver of a normal individual, having fat taking up as much as 5-10% of the liver's weight can cause fatty liver disease, which can lead to serious health problems. What is Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease The liver is a large, complex organ with many vital functions. One of these is the synthesis, transport and metabolism of fats, which represent an important source of energy. Fat can accumulate in large quantities in the liver when there is an abnormality in these functions, which increases the synthesis and/or reduces the transport and metabolism of fats. It is normal to have some fat in the liver, as is the case with other organs in the body, but when more than 5% of the liver's weight is made up of fat, a condition called fatty liver disease develops. Fatty liver disease is generally classified into alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, depending on the cause. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is further classified into isolated fatty liver (IFL), in which no inflammation is involved, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), in which inflammation is involved, often leading to liver damage and serious complications. NAFLD affects 30% of the U.S. adult population and is now the leading cause of chronic liver disease in the country. NASH can progress to cause severe liver damage, causing cirrhosis (liver scarring) and liver cancer, which can lead to liver failure and death. Apart from these, NAFLD is also associated with serious conditions such as heart disease and stroke. What Causes Non-A......middle of paper......holistic liver disease, NAFLD is one of the most common reasons this procedure is performed in the United States. Furthermore, with the increasing incidence of obesity and type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease is expected to become the leading cause of liver transplants. Works CitedMedicine Net. Fatty liver (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD] and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis [NASH]). http://www.medicinenet.com/fatty_liver/article.htm.Mayo Clinic. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease/basics/definition/con-20027761.WebMD. Fatty liver disease. http://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/fatty-liver-disease.Lazo M, Hernaez R, Bonekamp S, et al. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and mortality among US adults: a prospective cohort study. BMJ 2011;343:d6891. http://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d6891