{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T21:01:07Z","timestamp":1772053267869,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":0,"publisher":"Medwave Estudios Limitada","issue":"01","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Medwave"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Recent meta-analyses highlight the rising global incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, now the fastest-growing cause of liver-related mortality and a leading driver of end-stage liver disease. Previous estimates needed updated assessments of its epidemiological burden. Using Global Burden of Disease 2021 data, we analyzed age-standardized prevalence, incidence, and disability-adjusted life years for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease across 204 countries \/regions from 1990 to 2021. Trends in disease burden were evaluated by sex, age, region, and Socio-Demographic Index. Between 1990 and 2021, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease incidence increased by 31.5% (466 to 613 cases\/100 000 population), with new cases rising 94.5% (24.86 to 48.35 million). Prevalence surged 52% (10.58% to 16.07%), affecting 1.268 billion individuals (+124.8%). Disability-adjusted life years increased 46.7% (31.67 to 46.47 years\/100 000 population), totaling 3.667 million (+117.2%). Middle-aged adults (30 to 60 years) accounted for 55% of cases, with female prevalence peaking at 35 to 44 years. Women \u226565 years had higher prevalence (18.2% vs 15.5% in men) and bore 30% of disability-adjusted life years. Men aged 15\u201360 had 40% higher prevalence due to smoking and high-fat diets. The Middle East, China, and Southeast Asia contributed over half of global cases, while high-income regions reported the highest disability-adjusted life years rates due to metabolic risks and aging. Hyperglycemia accounted for 38% of global disability-adjusted life years, and smoking contributed 28% in low\/middle-income regions, declining from 22% to 15% in high Socio-Demographic Index nations. Targeted interventions such as metabolic risk reduction via diabetes control and diet in high-SDI nations, tobacco control and low-fat diets in low\/middle-income regions, smoking &amp; obesity counseling for men aged 15 to 60, menopause metabolic monitoring for women \u226565 are needed. Integrating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease into chronic disease programs, prioritizing exercise\/diet strategies, and tailoring policies to regional Socio-Demographic Index are key to easing its burden.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.5867\/medwave.2026.01.3127","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T20:32:45Z","timestamp":1772051565000},"page":"e3127-e3127","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Global non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study (1990 to 2021)"],"prefix":"10.5867","volume":"26","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-1843-0228","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yong","family":"Liao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1634-9795","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yongli","family":"Song","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-2448-380X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zeng","family":"Sanjin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-7075-2403","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Li","family":"Yongli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-7452-8337","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Xu","family":"Chenggui","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-2692-1130","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chen","family":"Yinan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-6836-7868","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yin","family":"Minjie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-5106-181X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shi","family":"Anhua","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"3888","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]]},"container-title":["Medwave"],"original-title":[],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T20:32:46Z","timestamp":1772051566000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.medwave.cl\/revisiones\/analisis\/3127.html"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]]},"references-count":0,"journal-issue":{"issue":"01","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5867\/medwave.2026.01.3127","relation":{},"ISSN":["0717-6384"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0717-6384","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]]}}}