title: Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Latinos.
abstract: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a serious public health concern that affects almost one third of the US population. The prevalence of NAFLD varies among ethnic/racial groups, with the Latin American population being affected disproportionately. The severity of NAFLD also may be greater in the Latino population. The increased prevalence and severity of NAFLD in Latino Americans likely is related to the interplay between issues such as genetic factors, access to health care, or the prevalence of chronic diseases such as metabolic syndrome or diabetes. In this review, we summarize the current literature on the prevalence and risk factors of NAFLD that are seen to be more common in the Latino population in the United States. Finally, we discuss available treatment options, medical and surgical, that are available for NAFLD and how they affect the Latino population. Health care providers need to address modifiable risk factors that impact the natural history as well as treatment outcomes for NAFLD among Latinos. Additional efforts are needed to improve awareness and health care utilization for Latinos.
authors.affiliation: Division of Digestive Diseases, Departments of Medicine and Surgery, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California. Electronic address: SSaab@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Sammy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saab
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Akron General Medical Center, Akron, Ohio.
authors.forename: Vignan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Manne
authors.affiliation: Borland-Groover Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida.
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nieto
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Jeffrey B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Schwimmer
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors.forename: Naga P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Chalasani
mesh_terms: D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Epidemiology; Fatty Liver Disease; Latinos