A Study on Awareness of NAFLD both in Diabetic and General People in Dhaka

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the buildup of extra fat in liver cells that is not caused by alcohol. There is little work done in Bangladesh on NAFLD as well as knowledge and attitude towards awareness of NAFLD in Bangladesh. The purpose of our study was to identify the current statistics of knowledge and attitude towards NAFLD. The study was a survey based study. The survey was performed on 151 people in BIRDEM (Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation for Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders) at Shahbag, Dhaka, NHN Hospital, East West University, and Gazipur. The people were selected randomly. In this study 44.4% were male and 55.6% were female participants. We considered factors affecting awareness of NAFLD and knowledge were, level of education, profession, food habit, BMI, high cholesterol level and lifestyle. Both Diabetic patients and general people were selected as study population. Our performed study showed that 50.33% people were related to diabetes mellitus and 49.67% were non- diabetic. Our study also showed that only 3.97% people have NAFLD and 0.66% among them haven‟t heard about NAFLD at all and 15.23% people hardly heard about this. So Knowledge about NAFLD is very poor and maximum of the study population were not even heard of name of NAFLD. As food habit plays an important role in maintaining healthy life so in our survey more concentration was given on this matter but we found that majority of the people was following a poor diet pattern and people skip their breakfast about 84% where 16% people do not. People several times prefer to eat out about 45.7%, and 35.8% occasionally. Vast of the people eat fast food about 28.5% and occasionally 32.5% where percentage of people prefer to eat fried items about 38.4% and occasionally 43.0%. In our survey among total population only 64.2% people prefer to take exercise and remaining 35.8% are not aware about this. Moreover 78% people prefer walking, only 1% people prefer swimming, 6% people prefer heavy exercise and 15% people prefer light exercise Among the total participants the BMI range was, Normal in only 15%, overweight 27%, pre-obese people 39% and obese people 17%. As diabetes is associated with NAFLD so there is a connection between them and in our survey we found that all of the NAFLD patient are suffering from diabetes. Our data stated that 30.2% people have high cholesterol and 47.4% people have high blood pressure. Adapting modification in lifestyle and daily routine will minimize this increasing problem to some extent. People awareness is the primary concern on this matter, so people should have focused more in their lifestyle and daily food habit. Otherwise it can lead to HCC (Hepatocellular Carcinoma) which is one of the third leading cause of cancer related death which is incurable.