Centre Calls for Mission-Mode Fight Against Fatty Liver, Diabetes

India's growing burden of fatty liver disease , Type-2 diabetes , and other metabolic disorders has emerged as a major public health challenge, prompting the Centre to call for a nationwide awareness and prevention campaign. Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Saturday warned that the country's liver epidemic and diabetes surge are part of a larger metabolic nexus that is increasingly affecting younger Indians and could have far-reaching consequences for public health and economic productivity.

Addressing the third anniversary of the Liver & Metabolic Disease Network (InFLiMeN) at the Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences (ILBS) in New Delhi, the Minister said disorders such as fatty liver disease, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, insulin resistance, and diabetes are closely interconnected and often predispose individuals to multiple health complications. He stressed that diseases once associated with middle-aged and elderly populations are now being diagnosed among young adults, adolescents and even children, making the issue a national concern rather than merely a medical challenge.

Recent studies underscore the scale of the problem. A nationwide assessment published this year estimated that nearly 39% of Indian adults may have Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) , formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Researchers also found that around 4% of adults already show signs of liver fibrosis , a serious condition that can progress to cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer if left untreated. Experts estimate that India's diabetes burden has already crossed 100 million cases , making the country one of the world's largest diabetes hotspots.

Health experts warn that the disease burden is shifting to younger age groups. Studies have reported fatty liver prevalence ranging from 7.3% to 22.4% among children , rising to nearly 44% among overweight and obese children . Increasing cases are also being detected among people aged 20 to 45 years , reflecting changing lifestyles and dietary habits.

Dr. Singh noted that India's unique "Asian Indian phenotype" makes the population particularly vulnerable to metabolic diseases. Many Indians develop diabetes, cardiovascular ailments and fatty liver despite having relatively lower Body Mass Index (BMI) levels due to higher abdominal fat accumulation and insulin resistance. He added that unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, poor sleep patterns, chronic stress and environmental pollution are placing increasing pressure on the liver, despite it being one of the body's most resilient and regenerative organs.

The Minister welcomed ILBS' efforts to establish a National Liver Biobank and called for affordable diagnostic technologies, community-level screening tools and indigenous biomarkers to detect liver disease before irreversible damage occurs. He also highlighted the potential of India's expanding biotechnology ecosystem , Genome Mission , gene sequencing programmes and Artificial Intelligence to advance precision medicine and develop India-specific healthcare solutions.

Urging scientists, doctors, educational institutions, civil society organisations and the media to work together against misinformation surrounding nutrition and lifestyle diseases, Dr. Singh said reducing the burden of diabetes and fatty liver disease is essential for achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 . He emphasized that protecting the health of India's young population will be crucial for strengthening the nation's human capital and sustaining long-term development.