Almost 2bn to be affected by metabolic liver disease by 2050, study suggests
Metabolic liver disease will affect 1,8 billion people worldwide by 2050, driven by rising obesity and blood sugar levels, a study suggests,Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is one of the most prevalent and rapidly growing liver conditions globally, according to the research,There are now 1,3 billion people worldwide living with MASLD, the latest estimates suggest, a 143% increase in just three decades.
About one in six people – 16% – are affected,The findings, from the global burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors study (GBD), were published in the Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology journal,The condition’s prevalence is projected to climb even higher, primarily driven by global population growth in combination with changes in lifestyle, such as rising obesity and high blood sugar levels,In 1990, there were about 500 million people living with MASLD, the study found,By 2023, that figure had risen to 1.
3 billion.MASLD is projected to affect 1.8 billion people by 2050, a 42% rise from 2023.The global prevalence rate grew to 14,429 cases per 100,000 people in 2023, representing a 29% increase from 1990.MASLD was more common in men than women and had the highest prevalence rates in older adults aged between 80 and 84.
However, the largest number of people affected were younger – around the ages of 35 to 39 in men and 55 to 59 in women.High blood sugar was the leading driver of MASLD-related health problems globally, followed by high BMI and smoking, highlighting strong links to type 2 diabetes and obesity.Some regions, including north Africa and the Middle East, had disproportionately higher rates of MASLD compared with other regions.But there have been sharp increases in numbers of people affected in countries across the world.In the UK, the prevalence rate increased by a third – 33% – between 1990 and 2023, the biggest rise in western Europe, according to an analysis of the data by the Guardian.
The prevalence rate grew by 30% in Australia and 22% in the United States, the analysis revealed,The study also found that although more people were developing the disease, the overall impact on health – measured in years lost because of illness or death – was stable,That suggested that advances in treatment and care were helping people live longer and healthier, and that the increase in the number of cases was mostly happening in the early stages of the disease,However, the growing number of cases still means that many people are at risk of developing serious complications such as liver cirrhosis or cancer in the future,MASLD is often linked to being overweight and can usually be treated with lifestyle changes.
It does not usually cause any symptoms, and many people have the condition without realising, according to the NHS in England.It is usually only discovered when a patient has tests for another reason.Symptoms may include feeling very tired, feeling generally unwell, and liver pain or discomfort, which is felt in the abdomen under the right side of the ribs.The study was led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, a public health research institute at the University of Washington in Seattle.Its authors said the findings highlighted that MASLD was increasingly affecting younger adults, amid worsening health and lifestyles.
The rise in the number of cases underscored the importance of recognising it as a global health priority and of developing policies, awareness campaigns and interventions to mitigate its growing impact and prevent future complications, they said.
Big US banks rake in near $50bn profit as Iran war shakes markets
Big US banks raked in nearly $50bn (£37bn) worth of profits in the first three months of the year, as they benefited from stock market turbulence triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran.Wall Street’s largest lenders have reported a jump in first-quarter earnings, reflecting the surge in demand for trading services as investors dumped risky stocks and bonds and sought safer havens for their cash.On Wednesday, Bank of America and Morgan Stanley posted a leap in profits, joining Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Citi and Wells Fargo in announcing strong results this week. Collectively, the six banks reported $47.4bn in profits
Gina Rinehart has been forced to share her riches. But will she fight on or end the family feud?
Gina Rinehart does not like to lose.Engaged in bitter legal battles for most of the past 35 years, Australia’s richest person has shown her propensity to fight tooth and nail to retain control of her family’s iron ore empire – and the riches that flow from it.Even as her own children were due to receive their inheritance from their grandfather Lang Hancock more than 20 years ago, Rinehart sought to block them in an ugly legal dispute that showed the lengths she was prepared to go to retain control.But as rain drizzled down on Perth’s central business district on Wednesday, Justice Jennifer Smith handed down a judgment that will force Rinehart to share. Not just hundreds of millions of dollars in royalty payments pocketed by Hancock Prospecting, but also some of the credit for the making of the Pilbara iron ore industry
Amazon enters agreements for nine Australian renewable projects to power datacentres
Amazon has entered power agreements with nine new renewable projects in New South Wales and Victoria, as the technology company seeks to source renewable power for its datacentre operations in Australia.The nine deals, including one windfarm and 10 solar and battery projects, will take the amount of renewable energy Amazon is sourcing in Australia from 430MW to nearly 1GW.The power purchase agreements are contracts between energy providers and datacentre operators to meet the expected demands of their centres. Amazon has entered into agreements for more than 20 projects in Australia as it aims to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2040.These include power from Victoria’s Golden Plains 2, the largest windfarm in Australia, which began operating in 2024
MacBook Air M5 review: Apple’s best consumer laptop speeds up
Apple’s latest MacBook Air is its most powerful yet, comes with double the starting storage and is better than ever for getting work done and as the benchmark for a consumer laptop. But this year the new lower-cost MacBook Neo has muddied the waters.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more
Unhappy Verstappen ‘has to be listened to’ over new rules, says F1 chief Domenicali
Formula One must listen to Max Verstappen’s grievances about the sport’s new regulations and their effects on racing, according to F1’s CEO, Stefano Domenicali. His intervention comes as key players hold meetings to consider adjusting the rules for the remainder of the season.Verstappen has been outspoken in his dissatisfaction with the new formula and the part energy management now plays in preventing being able to race flat-out. The four-time champion is not alone in his feelings with other drivers also critical of the deployment and recharging of electrical energy.Verstappen, one of F1’s biggest names, has been so disenchanted, however, that he has repeatedly suggested he is considering his future in F1 and Domenicali confirmed he had been speaking to the Dutchman and other drivers about their concerns
The Dianna Russini fallout is less about scandal than who carries blame in the NFL | Melissa Jacobs
Dianna Russini, one of the NFL’s most high-profile reporters, is photographed holding hands with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel at a fancy resort in Sedona, Arizona. Rumors fly. Vrabel and Russini, who are both married to other people, issue statements denying the assumptions of something untoward. But the firestorm only grows. Russini resigns from her post at the Athletic, Vrabel continues with his job as usual
UK’s largest housebuilder to buy less land in blow to Labour’s homes target
IMF calls for countries to economise on energy supplies, and hails UK’s budget deficit improvement – as it happened
Fisa surveillance vote sparks fierce debate as Congress splits on warrantless monitoring
Snap Inc blames AI as it lays off 1,000 workers
LIV Golf meeting in New York fuels speculation over rebel tour’s future
Sir Craig Reedie obituary