Fatty liver disease, social media myths and the risk of self-diagnosis
Social media plays an important role in awareness around health and wellness, but sometimes it blurs the line between facts and myths. Fatty liver disease is one such condition that has become a common subject of online content. The rising numbers of this disease make it all the more important to understand the risks of believing myths and ‘self-diagnosis.’ In India’s context, government data (2024) shows 1 in 3 Indians has a fatty liver. Fatty liver disease is a condition where excess fat accumulates in liver cells, exceeding the liver’s normal fat content. As per major health authorities like WHO and American Liver Foundation, the condition is diagnosed when fat makes up more than 5% of the liver’s weight in people who consume little or no alcohol.
