Parents, take note! Kids who regularly consume foods with high fructose such as pizzas, sodas, sweetened beverages and biscuits may be at the risk of liver disease, a new study has warned.
Dietary fructose intake may increase serum uric acid concentrations, researchers said.
Both uric acid concentration and fructose consumption may be increased in individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Researchers found that both dietary fructose consumption and serum uric acid concentrations are independently associated with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
NAFLD, the accumulation of extra fat in liver cells in people who drink little or no alcohol, is recognised as the fastest growing cause of liver disease in both Western and developing countries.
It is estimated to affect up to 30 per cent of the general population in Western countries and up to 9.6 per cent of all children and 38 per cent of obese children across a spectrum of liver disease, including NASH (defined as steatosis, hepatocyte ballooning and inflammation).
Although NASH is a less aggressive form of NAFLD, it can progress to severe fibrosis and cirrhosis, with development of hepatocellular carcinoma in adults. (PTI)