Do we really know the consequences of a Western diet?

The first national NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) day was celebrated on June 12, 2019 to increase public awareness of a disease that is affecting at least 30 million Americans, in part because many eat a diet high in fats and sugar, typical of a Western diet. According to ongoing research, consuming a Western diet causes NASH, which can progress into liver cancer. Surprisingly, little was done at NASH day to raise awareness of the link between a Western diet and NASH. The public needs to be informed that not just obesity and diabetes but NASH and liver damage are consequences of consuming a Western diet.

NASH is caused by the excess of fat in the liver, which is linked with obesity and diet. NASH symptoms are not apparent until the disease is advanced, making it a “silent disease.” Currently, diagnostic options are very limited and the only treatment is liver transplant. While scientists have been able to replicate this disease in the lab, no new treatments have yet been developed. So for now our efforts need to be directed toward preventing NASH by educating the public about its consequences.  

“Many NASH patients are not educated about the causes of or treatments for NASH, and unfortunately many do not even know the consequences of the disease.”--Shaaron Ochoa-Rios

 

Many NASH patients are not educated about the causes of or treatments for NASH, and unfortunately many do not even know the consequences of the disease. This lack of information is the result of inadequate initiatives from the government and other organizations to raise awareness about the seriousness of eating a diet high in fat and sugar. Most of the information we find online talks about the importance of having a healthy lifestyle but does not mention the seriousness of a disease like NASH.

Many questions remain unanswered about NASH. Why are so many still consuming a Western diet daily? Is it a socioeconomic issue? Do the people who still maintain a Western diet know of the consequences? If more initiatives educated the public about a high-fat diet or a Western diet causing liver cancer, would people take their eating habits more seriously?

Public awareness about NASH has improved, but we have yet to see a link with a Western diet when NASH is mentioned. We need initiatives that provide more education on this disease, communicate research findings to a lay audience and take the research that has linked a Western diet and NASH to clinical trials. The goal of these efforts should be to help the public understand that a Western diet will not only make you gain some extra pounds, but it also has very serious, potentially fatal, health consequences.