June 12, 2018 was the first International NASH Day, a day of action to raise awareness on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Duke celebrated this day locally by hosting an event with presentations by various faculty members around campus as well as information-packed breakout sessions, all with the goal of raising awareness about NASH.
Among the presenters was GIM's own Oliver Glass, PhD, Interim Director of Research at Duke Integrative Medicine. Dr. Glass presented "Focus on diet and exercise in NAFLD" (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease).
Here is a summary of his presentation:
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A healthy diet of whole foods is recommended, void of processed foods and sugared sweetened beverages
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First stick to a healthy diet, then focus on modifying specifically for weight loss
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Decrease sedentary behavior, increase physical activity, and schedule in exercise
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Find an exercise routine that you can maintain; ramp up slowly
NAFLD is one of Dr. Glass main areas of research. Learn more about him in this faculty spotlight.
WHY SPREADING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT NASH IS SO IMPORTANT
NASH is expected to become the #1 cause of liver transplant by 2020 in the United States, and its prevalence is projected to increase globally in association with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Yet NASH operates in silence by not showing symptoms. As a result it remains poorly-known, under-diagnosed, and as such represents a growing global public health issue in most countries worldwide.