Every 3rd Indian affected by fatty liver disease: Minister Jitendra Singh

Union Minister of Science and Technology launches the Indo-French Liver and Metabolic Disease Network to find India-specific interventions for metabolic disorders

Union Minister of Science and Technology (Independent charge) Jitendra Singh, a diabetologist, emphasised the prevalence of fatty liver disease in India, noting that one in three Indians is affected. Fatty liver disease often precedes Type 2 Diabetes and other metabolic disorders. Addressing these concerns, Singh launched the Indo-French Liver and Metabolic Disease Network (InFLiMeN), a virtual node aimed at preventing and curing metabolic liver diseases, at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) on Friday in New Delhi.

“A large population in India is affected by metabolic disorders and we need India-specific interventions as our phenotype is different,” the minister said.

 

The InFLiMeN initiative will address non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which can progress to cirrhosis and primary liver cancer. NAFLD often predates other serious conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Singh, an endocrinologist, stressed the critical relationship between fatty liver and various metabolic disorders.

“Every third Indian has fatty liver, which predates Type 2 Diabetes and other metabolic disorders,” Singh added.

The network is a collaborative effort involving Shiv Kumar Sarin, Director of ILBS, and Abhay Karandikar, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The initiative aims to understand and manage liver diseases through a comprehensive ‘omics approach’ for biomarker discovery.

Collaboration for preventive healthcare

The network will also include a joint effort by 11 French and 17 Indian doctors. This includes the Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research (CEFIPERA) which is supporting this new approach proposed by ILBS.

“India is emerging globally not only for curative healthcare but also for preventive healthcare. Both Indian subcontinent & Europe can share and work on inputs attributable to lifestyle, diet etc contributing to fatty liver, diabetes, metabolic disorders,” Singh said.

Rising incidence of liver diseases

Both the Indian subcontinent and Europe have seen a rise in liver diseases due to lifestyle changes, diet, and metabolic syndromes such as diabetes and obesity. Interestingly, NAFLD affects about 20 per cent of non-obese patients in India, unlike in the West where it is more commonly associated with obesity.

Similar progression in liver diseases

The Union Minister noted that both NAFLD and alcoholic liver disease (ALD) exhibit similar progressions from steatosis to steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Highlighting India’s progress in healthcare over the last decade, Singh stated that India has become a leader in both curative and preventive healthcare. There is an urgent need for simple, low-cost diagnostic tests for fatty liver disease and its progression to severe stages, tailored to the Indian context.

India-specific solutions

Emphasising the need for India-specific interventions, Singh called for collaborative efforts between the government and private sector to provide optimal healthcare services and promote healthy living. He stressed the importance of developing solutions that are low-cost and high-output, suitable for India’s unique phenotype.

“India emerging globally not only for curative healthcare but also for preventive healthcare. Both Indian subcontinent & Europe can share and work on inputs attributable to lifestyle, diet etc contributing to Fatty Liver,Diabetes,metabolic disorders. Here is
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— Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) July 5, 2024