Research by the Global NASH/MASH Council (GNC), led by Zobair M. Younossi, MD, has been published as the Cover Story of The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. Using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data spanning 1988–2023, the study demonstrates that alcohol consumption is underreported in population surveys, resulting in underestimation of alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated alcohol-related liver disease (MetALD) burden. When corrected for underreporting, the prevalence of ALD and MetALD nearly doubled compared to uncorrected estimates.
The research reveals that ALD carries the highest premature mortality risk among steatotic liver diseases (SLD), with binge drinking identified as the dominant mortality driver in ALD and type 2 diabetes (T2D) as the strongest predictor in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Notably, the concurrent presence of binge drinking with T2D or hypertension produces synergistic effects associated with particularly hazardous outcomes. These findings underscore the urgent need for systematic screening of alcohol consumption, with particular emphasis on binge drinking, combined with comprehensive assessment of cardiometabolic risk factors. Such integrated approaches are essential to inform targeted clinical interventions and public health strategies aimed at preventing liver disease progression, reducing mortality, and improving patient outcomes.
Read the full article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langas/article/PIIS2468-1253(25)00376-0/abstract
