For Patients & Family

Find the resources you need.

Locate A Division

Liver Disease and
Related Topics

Liver Disease Glossary
Know the terms, understand your care

ClinicalTrials.gov
A service of the U.S. National Institute of Health

Call Us! 1-800-GO-LIVER

Join Our Events!

Throughout the year our chapters organize fundraising events including dinners, galas, walks and runs.

View All Events

Home > About ALF > Media Center

The American Liver Foundation Turns Its Attention to Fatty Liver Disease

A Serious Disease Affection an Estimated 6.5 Million American Children

New York, October 02, 2006 – The American Liver Foundation, a national nonprofit organization that provides education, advocacy and research on behalf of the 30 million Americans affected by liver disease, kicks off Liver Awareness Month today by introducing a new program in their series on liver wellness entitled, Diet and Your Liver. Each October, the Foundation uses Liver Awareness Month as an opportunity to educate the public on the important issues of liver disease and wellness. This year, the American Liver Foundation is raising awareness on the dangers of fatty liver disease.

Fatty liver is a little known condition that is connected with obesity. It can lead to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure. In fact, NASH is one of the top causes of cirrhosis in the country. It is estimated that 10-20% of Americans have fatty liver and that 2-5% of Americans have developed NASH.

To help with this campaign, the Foundation is launching a new “Diet and Your Liver” toolkit. This tool contains information and diagrams explaining the crucial role of diet in overall liver health. It allows the Foundation staff and trained volunteers to make educational presentations for interested groups to spread the message of liver wellness.

“Educating the public on the importance of taking care of their liver is at the heart of the ALF mission,” said Fred Thompson, president and CEO of the American Liver Foundation. “For example, people think they know all the dangers of obesity, but most are completely unaware of fatty liver disease. Our new “Diet and Your Liver” toolkit will be a tremendous asset in our work to improve America’s understanding of liver wellness.”

About the American Liver Foundation
The American Liver Foundation (ALF) is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization promoting liver health and disease prevention. ALF provides research, education and advocacy for those affected by liver-related diseases including hepatitis. Please visit the American Liver Foundation’s Web site at www.liverfoundation.org

Page updated: March 14th, 2007