Diabetes and Obesity Emerging as Major Threats to Liver Health in India

Diabetes and obesity are becoming major risk factors for liver disease in India, with a recent Lancet study, “Diabetes-Liver 2026”, warning that these conditions are rapidly increasing the burden of serious liver complications across the country.

 

According to the study, lifestyle-related disorders are no longer limited to heart, kidney or eye-related complications. Diabetes, especially when combined with obesity, is now being identified as a major contributor to liver damage. The study describes diabetes as the fourth major risk factor for liver complications in India.

 

Health experts have expressed concern that many Indian patients with diabetes remain unaware of the impact the disease can have on the liver. In several cases, liver damage develops silently and is detected only at a later stage. This makes early screening and timely medical intervention extremely important.

 

The findings indicate that around 26 percent of adults with diabetes in India may have liver fibrosis, a condition in which repeated liver injury leads to scarring of liver tissue. Among them, nearly 14 percent are reported to be in a severe stage, while around five percent may have already reached probable cirrhosis. These numbers highlight the need to treat liver screening as an essential part of diabetes management.

 

Doctors say that people who have been living with diabetes for more than 10 years face a higher risk of liver-related complications. Patients with obesity and diabetes are considered particularly vulnerable. The risk may further increase among those whose diabetes remains poorly controlled, whose liver enzyme levels are abnormal, or whose kidney functioning is reduced.

 

Experts recommend that liver screening should be included in routine health check-ups, especially for people with long-standing diabetes. They suggest that patients with diabetes should undergo liver function tests and ultrasound-based screening at least once a year. Such screening may help identify fatty liver, fibrosis and other liver abnormalities before they progress into more serious disease.

 

Specialists also point out that liver disease often remains unnoticed until significant damage has already occurred. The liver may continue functioning even when 70 to 80 percent of it has been affected, which is why symptoms may appear very late. For this reason, regular screening is considered the most reliable way to detect liver problems in the early stages.

 

Liver fibrosis can be assessed through non-invasive methods such as FibroScan or similar imaging-based tests. These tests help evaluate the stiffness of the liver and can indicate whether scarring has begun. Early detection can allow doctors to advise lifestyle changes, medication adjustments and better control of diabetes and obesity.

 

The study reinforces the need for greater public awareness around the connection between metabolic disorders and liver health. With diabetes and obesity rising rapidly in India, preventive screening, weight management, blood sugar control and timely consultation with doctors will be crucial in reducing the future burden of liver disease.