Health
Lack of sleep could be a factor in a 'silent epidemic,' experts warn
More than a third of adults fail to get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep each night — and the scarcity of shuteye can have a surprising effect.
Lack of sleep can lead to what some experts refer to as a “silent epidemic” — a condition called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which affects more than one in four American adults, according to the American Heart Association.
What is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)?
As its name implies, NAFLD is marked by the presence of fat in the liver.
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The primary cause is weight gain, along with metabolic risk factors such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and obstructive sleep apnea, according to Ibrahim Hanouneh, a gastroenterologist with MNGI Digestive Health in Minnesota.
Lack of sleep can lead to what some experts refer to as a “silent epidemic” — a condition called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which affects more than one in four American adults. (iStock)
“Heavy alcohol consumption can also lead to fatty liver, but NAFL refers to fatty liver that occurs in the setting of metabolic syndrome and weight gain in the absence of heavy alcohol consumption — hence the name ‘non-alcoholic,’” Hanouneh told Fox News Digital.
The condition is also known as MASLD (metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease) to reflect the association between fatty liver and metabolic syndrome.
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A family history of fatty liver can also increase the risk, noted Hanouneh, who is also co-author of the book “Regenerative Health: Discover Your Metabolic Type and Renew Your Liver for Life.”
NAFL is known as the “silent epidemic” because it often has no symptoms.
“In some studies, fatty liver has affected 25% to 33% of the general population — almost one out of four individuals — but the vast majority of individuals have no symptoms at all, particularly in the early stages,” said Hanouneh.
The primary cause of NAFLD is weight gain, along with metabolic risk factors such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and obstructive sleep apnea. (iStock)
Some people may have non-specific symptoms, such as fatigue, foggy memory and abdominal pain.
“Generally speaking, fatty liver disease does not cause major symptoms until it is too late — for example, when the patient has already developed cirrhosis or liver cancer,” Hanouneh said.
Fatty liver disease is associated with an increased risk of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
“The vast majority of individuals have no symptoms at all, particularly in the early stages.”
“NAFLD has become the leading indication of liver transplantation and the leading cause of liver cancer in the Western world,” noted Hanouneh.
Patients with this disease are also at an increased risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes, he warned.
“Some studies also suggest that patients with NAFL are at an increased risk of getting type 2 diabetes,” he added.
Patients with this disease are also at an increased risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes, a doctor warned. (iStock)
Not all people with NAFLD experience liver damage. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the more severe form, leads to swelling or inflammation of the liver and damage to liver cells, according to the American Liver Foundation’s website.
This can ultimately lead to fibrosis, or scarring, of the liver.
Link between sleep and NAFLD
Lack of high-quality sleep has been linked to weight gain, an increase in hunger and adverse blood sugar control in multiple studies, according to Kristin Kirkpatrick, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic and co-author of “Regenerative Health.”
“Insulin resistance is a major risk factor for abnormal amounts of fat in the liver,” said Kirkpatrick.
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The risk is particularly high for postmenopausal women, she noted. One study found that chronic short sleep duration led to a 20% increase in insulin levels among that group, compared to 15% overall.
“The stress on the body caused by a lack of sleep can cause adverse metabolic changes that ultimately may lead to NAFLD,” Kirkpatrick said.
Lack of high-quality sleep has been linked to weight gain, an increase in hunger and adverse blood sugar control, studies have shown. (iStock)
The expert also cited a new study in JAMA (the Journal of the American Medical Association) showing that short sleep duration increased the risk for type 2 diabetes.
“Though some risks could be offset by a healthy diet, a majority could not be reversed by a nutrient-rich dietary pattern,” she said.
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“Type 2 diabetics have a significant increase in risk of developing NAFLD.”
Maintaining consistent sleeping hours may help with weight management, Kirkpatrick told Fox News Digital.
“That means going to bed and waking up at the same time on weekdays and weekends.”
Screening, treatment and prevention
Due to the “silent” nature of NAFLD, experts stressed the importance of screening for fatty liver in patients with risk factors — even if there are no signs or symptoms of liver disease.
“NAFLD is a preventable disease,” Hanouneh told Fox News Digital.
“It is also a reversible disease at early stages.”
Imaging tests, such as ultrasounds or CT scans, can visually assess the appearance of the liver. (iStock)
Three main types of tests are used to diagnose the condition, according to JAMA Network.
Blood tests can measure inflammation in the liver.
Imaging tests, such as ultrasounds or CT scans, can visually assess the appearance of the organ.
“NAFLD is a preventable disease — and reversible at early stages.”
There are also some newer tests that measure the amount of fat in the liver — “such as transient elastography, an ultrasound-based test that measures how stiff the liver is” — but they may not be very reliable for diagnosing more advanced liver disease, JAMA Network stated.
For those who have been diagnosed, a low-carbohydrate diet is key to managing fatty liver disease, experts agreed.
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“Studies suggest that a low-carb diet that leads to weight loss of 5% to 10% can potentially reverse fatty liver disease,” Hanouneh said.
“Also, cut back or abstain from alcohol depending on the degree of fatty liver disease.”
It’s important to follow up with a health care professional to manage metabolic risk factors, doctors advised. (iStock)
It’s also important to follow up with a health care professional to manage metabolic risk factors, he said — particularly type 2 diabetes, which is “crucial in the management of fatty liver disease.”
For people with NAFLD, Hanouneh also recommended incorporating regular exercise, particularly interval training, three times a week.
Coffee has also shown potential benefits for fatty liver.
“I typically recommend one to two cups of black coffee a day if possible,” Hanouneh said.
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A new report by the American Heart Association (AHA) included some troubling predictions for the future of women’s health.
The forecast, published in the journal Circulation on Wednesday, projected increases in various comorbidities in American females by 2050.
More than 59% of women were predicted to have high blood pressure, up from less than 49% currently.
The review also projected that more than 25% of women will have diabetes, compared to about 15% today, and more than 61% will have obesity, compared to 44% currently.
As a result of these risk factors, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7%.
The prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke in women is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7% by 2050. (iStock)
Not all trends were negative, as unhealthy cholesterol prevalence is expected to drop to about 22% from more than 42% today, the report stated.
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Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods in Minnesota, commented on these “jarring findings.”
“The fact that on our current trajectory, cardiometabolic disease is projected to explode in women within one generation should be a huge wake-up call,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“Hypertension, diabetes, obesity — these are all major risk factors for heart disease, and we are already seeing what those risks are driving. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, eclipsing all other causes of death, including breast cancer.”
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and around the world. (iStock)
Klodas warned that heart disease starts early, progresses “stealthily,” and can present “out of the blue in devastating ways.”
The AHA published another study on Thursday revealing one million hospitalizations, showing that heart attack deaths are climbing among adults below the age of 55.
The more alarming finding, according to Klodas, is that young women were found more likely to die after their first heart attack than men of the same age.
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“This is all especially tragic since heart disease is almost entirely preventable,” she said. “The earlier you start, the better.”
Children can show early evidence of plaque deposition in their arteries, which can be reversed through lifestyle changes if “undertaken early enough and aggressively enough,” according to the expert.
Moving more is one part of protecting a healthy heart, according to experts. (iStock)
Klodas suggested that rising heart conditions are associated with traditional risk factors, like smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
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Doctors are also seeing higher rates of preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, as well as gestational diabetes. Klodas noted that these are sex-specific risk factors that don’t typically contribute to complications until after menopause.
The best way to protect a healthy heart is to “do the basics,” Klodas recommended, including the following lifestyle habits.
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Klodas especially emphasized making improvements to diet, as the food people eat affects “every single risk factor that the AHA’s report highlights.”
“High blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, excess weight – these are all conditions that are driven in part or in whole by food,” she said. “We eat multiple times every single day, which means what we eat has profound cumulative effects over time.”
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health,” a doctor said. (iStock)
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health.”
The doctor also recommends changing out a few snacks per day for healthier choices, which has been proven to “yield medication-level cholesterol reductions” in a month.
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“Keep up that small change and, over the course of a year, you could also lose 20 pounds and reduce your sodium intake enough to avoid blood pressure-lowering medications,” Klodas added.
“Women should not view the AHA report as inevitable. We have power over our health destinies. We just need to use it.”
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Nearsightedness (myopia) is skyrocketing globally, with nearly half of the world’s population expected to be myopic by 2050, according to the World Health Organization.
Heavy use of smartphones and other devices is associated with an 80% higher risk of myopia when combined with excessive computer use, but a new study suggests that dim indoor lighting could also be a factor.
For years, scientists have been puzzled by the different ways myopia is triggered. In lab settings, it can be induced by blurring vision or using different lenses. Conversely, it can be slowed by something as simple as spending time outdoors, research suggests.
Nearsightedness occurs when the eyeball grows too long from front to back, according to the American Optometric Association (AOA). This physical elongation causes light to focus in front of the retina rather than directly on it, making distant objects appear blurry.
The study suggests that myopia isn’t caused by the digital devices themselves, but by the low-light environments where they are typically used. (iStock)
Researchers at the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry identified a potential specific trigger for this growth. When someone looks at a phone or a book up close, the pupil naturally constricts.
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“In bright outdoor light, the pupil constricts to protect the eye while still allowing ample light to reach the retina,” Urusha Maharjan, a SUNY Optometry doctoral student who conducted the study, said in a press release.
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“When people focus on close objects indoors, such as phones, tablets or books, the pupil can also constrict — not because of brightness, but to sharpen the image,” she went on. “In dim lighting, this combination may significantly reduce retinal illumination.”
High-intensity natural light prevents myopia because it provides enough retinal stimulation to override the “stop growing” signal, even when pupils are constricted. (iStock)
The hypothesis suggests that when the retina is deprived of light during extended close-up work, it sends a signal for the eye to grow.
In a dim environment, the narrowed pupil allows so little light through that the retinal activity isn’t strong enough to signal the eye to stop growing, the researchers found.
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In contrast, being outdoors provides light levels much brighter than indoors. This ensures that even when the pupil narrows to focus on a nearby object, the retina still receives a strong signal, maintaining healthy eye development.
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The team noted some limitations of the study, including the small subject group and the inability to directly measure internal lens changes, as the bright backgrounds used to mimic the outdoors made pupils too small for standard equipment.
Researchers believe that increasing indoor brightness during close-up work could be a simple, testable way to slow the global nearsightedness epidemic. (iStock)
“This is not a final answer,” Jose-Manuel Alonso, MD, PhD, SUNY distinguished professor and senior author of the study, said in the release.
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“But the study offers a testable hypothesis that reframes how visual habits, lighting and eye focusing interact.”
The study was published in the journal Cell Reports.
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