{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,23]],"date-time":"2026-03-23T20:14:32Z","timestamp":1774296872284,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,8]],"date-time":"2025-12-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1765152000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Clin. Diabetes Healthc."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is rapidly emerging as a major public health challenge in Vietnam, driven by rising rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and lifestyle changes. Although it contributes significantly to morbidity, mortality, and economic burden, MAFLD remains under-recognized within national health strategies and is largely neglected in non-communicable disease (NCD) frameworks. This narrative review synthesizes epidemiological, clinical, and health systems data on MAFLD in Vietnam, drawing on studies published between 2015 and 2024 alongside international guidelines to evaluate their relevance in the local healthcare setting. The evidence indicates that MAFLD affects more than one-quarter of urban adults and is steadily increasing in rural populations. Barriers to effective management include limited diagnostic capacity, lack of standardized guidelines, insufficient awareness among clinicians, and underdeveloped multidisciplinary care models. Complications are exacerbated by the coexistence of hepatitis B virus infection and the growing burden of cardiovascular comorbidities. Together, these factors heighten disease severity and accelerate progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Given these challenges, urgent multisectoral action is needed. We propose a strategic national roadmap that incorporates MAFLD into NCD policy, expands primary care screening using simple non-invasive tools, and invests in health workforce training to improve early detection and risk stratification. Strengthening multidisciplinary collaboration and leveraging digital health technologies can enhance patient engagement and access to care. Finally, regional cooperation and Vietnam\u2019s participation in international clinical trials are essential to accelerate innovation and policy response. In conclusion, MAFLD represents a neglected but pressing public health issue in Vietnam. Proactive and coordinated strategies are required to reduce its long-term health and socioeconomic impact and to position Vietnam as a regional leader in addressing metabolic liver disease.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fcdhc.2025.1687149","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,8]],"date-time":"2025-12-08T05:12:45Z","timestamp":1765170765000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["MAFLD in Vietnam: a neglected public health challenge requiring urgent policy action"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"6","author":[{"given":"Thong Duy","family":"Vo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Huong Tu","family":"Lam","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhep.2020.03.039","article-title":"A new definition for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease: An international expert consensus statement","volume":"73","author":"Eslam","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Hepatol"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1999","DOI":"10.1053\/j.gastro.2019.11.312","article-title":"MAFLD: A consensus-driven proposed nomenclature for metabolic associated fatty liver disease","volume":"158","author":"Eslam","year":"2020","journal-title":"Gastroenterology"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.1002\/hep.28431","article-title":"Global epidemiology of NAFLD-MAFLD: Meta-analytic assessment of prevalence, incidence, and outcomes","volume":"64","author":"Younossi","year":"2016","journal-title":"Hepatology"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3350\/cmh.2022.0365","article-title":"Global incidence and prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease","volume":"29","author":"Teng","year":"2023","journal-title":"Clin Mol Hepatol"},{"key":"B5","article-title":"MAFLD and increased cardiovascular risk: Mechanisms and clinical implications","volume":"17","author":"Targher","year":"2020","journal-title":"Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol"},{"key":"B6","article-title":"New trends on obesity and MAFLD in East Asia","volume":"78","author":"Fan","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Hepatol"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.numecd.2023.10.002","article-title":"Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among Vietnamese adult employees","volume":"34","author":"Ho","year":"2024","journal-title":"Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2147\/IJGM.S309311","article-title":"Correlation of serum transaminase levels with liver fibrosis assessed by transient elastography in Vietnamese patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease","volume":"14","author":"Thong","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Gen Med"},{"key":"B9","first-page":"43","article-title":"Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in rural areas of Vietnam: A selected-randomized study","volume":"10","author":"Thi Pham","year":"2019","journal-title":"Arch Pharma Pract"},{"key":"B10","article-title":"Mechanisms and disease progression in MAFLD","volume":"385","author":"Loomba","year":"2021","journal-title":"N Engl J Med"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3350\/cmh.2022.0367","article-title":"MAFLD: How is it different from NAFLD","volume":"29","author":"Gofton","year":"2023","journal-title":"Clin Mol Hepatol"},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"261","DOI":"10.1007\/s12072-024-10774-3","article-title":"The Asian Pacific association for the study of the liver clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease","volume":"19","author":"Eslam","year":"2025","journal-title":"Hepatol Int"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"110797","DOI":"10.3748\/wjg.v31.i37.110797","article-title":"Prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease among health check-up attendees: A retrospective study conducted in Vietnam","volume":"31","author":"Lu","year":"2025","journal-title":"World J Gastroenterol"},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2022.965548","article-title":"NAFLD and HBV interplay - related mechanisms underlying liver disease progression","volume":"13","author":"Tourkochristou","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Immunol"},{"key":"B15","article-title":"Past, present and future perspectives in NAFLD and MAFLD","volume":"18","author":"Sanyal","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol"},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fendo.2022.934225","article-title":"Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease: A meta-analysis","volume":"13","author":"Wen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Endocrinol (Lausanne)"},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/liv.15046","article-title":"Changing clinical management of NAFLD in Asia","volume":"42","author":"Nakatsuka","year":"2022","journal-title":"Liver Int"},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3350\/cmh.2025.0043","article-title":"Liver disease trends in the Asia-Pacific region for the next 50 years","volume":"31","author":"Shiina","year":"2025","journal-title":"Clin Mol Hepatol"},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S2468-1253(22)00008-5","article-title":"The establishment of public health policies and the burden of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in the Americas","volume":"7","author":"D\u00edaz","year":"2022","journal-title":"Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol"},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/hep.29367","article-title":"The diagnosis and management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Practice guidance from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases","volume":"67","author":"Chalasani","year":"2018","journal-title":"Hepatology"},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhep.2017.05.016","article-title":"Treatment of NAFLD with diet, physical activity and exercise","volume":"67","author":"Romero-Gomez","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Hepatol"},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm8060851","article-title":"Effect of Short Term Intensive Lifestyle Intervention on Hepatic Steatosis Indexes in Adults with Obesity and\/or Type 2 Diabetes","volume":"8","author":"Reginato","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Clin Med"},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cgh.2021.06.048","article-title":"Global Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Council. A Global Survey of Physicians Knowledge About Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease","volume":"20","author":"Younossi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol"},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0289616","article-title":"The effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists on visceral fat and liver ectopic fat in adults","volume":"18","author":"Liao","year":"2023","journal-title":"PloS One"},{"key":"B25","volume-title":"National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases 2015\u20132025","year":"2015"},{"key":"B26","first-page":"118","volume-title":"National survey on the risk factors of noncommunicable diseases in Viet Nam, 2021","year":"2025"},{"key":"B27","volume-title":"Vietnam Country Profile: Noncommunicable Diseases 2023","year":"2023"},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101272","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lanepe.2025.101272","article-title":"A call to action to address the steatotic liver disease public health threat in Barcelona","volume":"52","author":"Lazarus","year":"2025","journal-title":"Lancet Reg Health Eur"},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S2468-1253(21)00296-X","article-title":"Gastroenterology and Hepatology Association of sub-Saharan Africa (GHASSA). Health-care provision and policy for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in sub-Saharan Africa","volume":"6","author":"Spearman","year":"2021","journal-title":"Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fcdhc.2025.1687149\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,8]],"date-time":"2025-12-08T05:12:47Z","timestamp":1765170767000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fcdhc.2025.1687149\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,8]]},"references-count":29,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fcdhc.2025.1687149"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fcdhc.2025.1687149","relation":{},"ISSN":["2673-6616"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2673-6616","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,8]]},"article-number":"1687149"}}