Departamento de Gastroenterología, Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile.
Unidad de Trasplante Hepático, Servicio de Hepatología, Hospital Privado de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.
Ann Hepatol. 2021 Sep-Oct;24:100359. doi: 10.1016/j.aohep.2021.100359. Epub 2021 May 15.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is reaching epidemic proportions worldwide. Collectively, Latin American countries have some of the highest obesity rates in the world and the fastest-growing prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Since obesity and T2DM are intrinsically linked with NAFLD, epidemiological projections are worrisome. In addition to this adverse epidemiological setting, the region of Latin America faces unique challenges and obstacles to addressing the growing burden of NAFLD. In this article, on the occasion of the International NASH Day on June 10, 2021, we describe the main challenges and opportunities to improve care of people living with NAFLD in Latin America. Among the major challenges to be tackled are: lack of disease awareness, limited educational opportunities for healthcare personnel and general public, health system fragmentation, and lack of effective strategies for the prevention and effective treatment of NAFLD and common comorbidities, namely obesity and T2DM. Wide dissemination of current concepts on NAFLD, and extensive collaboration between scientific societies, governments, non-governmental organizations, pharmaceutical industry, and other stakeholders is urgently needed to advance the NAFLD public health policies agenda that allows us to address this disease with a whole of society approach.
非酒精性脂肪性肝病（NAFLD）在全球范围内呈流行趋势。拉丁美洲国家的肥胖率居全球前列，2 型糖尿病（T2DM）的患病率增长最快。由于肥胖和 T2DM 与 NAFLD 密切相关，因此流行病学预测令人担忧。除了这种不利的流行病学情况外，拉丁美洲地区在应对日益增长的 NAFLD 负担方面还面临着独特的挑战和障碍。在这篇文章中，正值 2021 年 6 月 10 日的国际 NASH 日，我们描述了改善拉丁美洲地区 NAFLD 患者护理的主要挑战和机遇。需要解决的主要挑战包括：对疾病认识不足，医疗保健人员和公众的教育机会有限，卫生系统碎片化，以及缺乏有效的预防和治疗 NAFLD 及常见合并症（肥胖和 T2DM）的策略。迫切需要广泛传播当前关于 NAFLD 的概念，并加强科学协会、政府、非政府组织、制药行业和其他利益攸关方之间的合作，以推进 NAFLD 公共卫生政策议程，使我们能够采取全社会方法来应对这一疾病。
