From the Huffington Post: Obesity and Liver Disease in the Hispanic Community

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-goran/obesity-liver-disease_b_1885337.html

Obesity and Liver Disease in the Hispanic Community

Michael Goranand Emily Ventura

"Obesity is a growing problem among Hispanics, especially children and adolescents. In Los Angeles County, obesity levels among Hispanics are among the highest (25.5 percent), especially hitting those with low incomes. In some communities, some 35 percent of children are obese.

Obesity is closely associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases, which can range from simple accumulation of fat in the liver to irreversible scarring, a condition known as cirrhosis. Excess fat in the liver can lead to the development of Type 2 diabetes, a chronic disease, and over time to liver failure, cancer and death. In Los Angeles County, liver disease is the fourth leading cause of death among Hispanics men.

Particularly worrisome is that levels of liver fat are increasing among obese Hispanic children and adolescents."