Raising awareness for your health on International NASH Day

PITTSBURGH, Pa. (KDKA) -- International NASH Day is on June 9, and is focused on raising awareness around non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and NASH. Organizations from around the world are joining forces on this day to raise awareness of this growing epidemic.

It is a common misconception that you can only get liver disease and cirrhosis from alcohol, but the truth is that 100 million Americans and 6 million kids today have a fatty liver resulting from too much sugar and processed food in their diets. In fact, fatty liver disease is the leading cause of chronic liver disease among children.

It is a growing public health epidemic with few, if any, symptoms that not enough people know about. Studies have shown that fewer than 10 percent of the people with a fatty liver know they have it. Left unchecked, the disease can progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer, often requiring a transplant.

Gina Villiotti Madison, Executive Director of local nonprofit NASH kNOWledge, will join us on International NASH Day for "Eat This, Not That" to talk about the importance of a healthier diet for a healthier liver as we explore why it's better to eat your fruit and not drink it.

We also will explore some common foods thought to be healthy that actually contain hidden sugars, and their healthier alternatives. Many common foods and drinks have more sugar in one serving than we should consume in a day, and the impact to the liver is the same as alcohol. The average child consumes five times the recommended amount of sugar. Learn more about liver health and steps you can take to make your liver healthier at www.nash-now.org.