60% ignore liver fat exam; slim people are also at riskPhoto by Lucas Guimarães Bueno on Pexels
ScienceCoimbra

60% ignore liver fat exam; slim people are also at risk

oglobo28 August 2026 at 17:19

A survey conducted by the Datafolha Institute in partnership with pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk revealed concerning data about Brazilians' knowledge regarding liver fat. According to the survey, 62% of the population fears the diagnosis of the disease, but 60% don't know which exam identifies the condition. Only 20% of Brazilians know the technical term "hepatic steatosis", and the vast majority are unaware that the disease progresses silently.

Hepatologist Dr. Patrícia Almeida, member of the Brazilian Society of Hepatology and PhD from USP, warned that the number on the scale is not the only indicator of liver health. According to the specialist, what really matters is metabolic health, not just the number on the scale.

According to Dr. Patrícia, a person can have normal BMI and still present increased visceral fat, insulin resistance, and genetic predisposition to the disease. The specialist reinforces that liver fat is not an exclusive problem of overweight people, demystifying the idea that only obese individuals are at risk of developing the condition.

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