People with poor sleep habits ‘may be more at risk of fatty liver disease’

People who have unhealthy sleep habits and a sedentary lifestyle could be more susceptible to developing fatty liver disease, a new study has found.

Fatty liver disease is the leading chronic liver disease worldwide, affecting about a quarter of the global adult population.

According to NHS statistics, up to one in three Britons are in the early stages of the condition where there are small amounts of fat in their liver.

In its early stages, it does not usually cause any harm, but it can lead to serious liver damage, including cirrhosis - scarring (fibrosis) of the liver - if it worsens.

An increased risk of developing diabetes, heart attacks and strokes is also commonly associated with having high levels of fat in your liver.

According the new research, published on Thursday in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, people with poor overnight sleeping habits and prolonged daytime napping “have the highest risk for developing fatty liver disease”.

Yan Liu, of the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health and Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China, said: “Our study found a moderate improvement in sleep quality was related to a 29 per cent reduction in the risk for fatty liver disease.”

The researchers analysed self-reported sleep behaviors from 5,011 Chinese adults with fatty liver disease and found going to bed late, snoring and napping during the day for more than 30 minutes were significantly associated with an increased risk of fatty liver disease.

A moderate improvement in sleep quality led to a 29 per cent reduction in fatty liver disease risk.

But the study deduced overall that people with a sedentary lifestyle and obesity experienced more prominent adverse effects from poor sleep quality than others.

“Our study provides evidence that even a moderate improvement in sleep quality is sufficient to reduce the risk for fatty liver disease, especially in those with unhealthy lifestyles,” Dr Liu said.

“Given that large proportions of subjects suffering from poor sleep quality are underdiagnosed and undertreated, our study calls for more research into this field and strategies to improve sleep quality.”