Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a condition that once affected adults only. It is increasingly being diagnosed in children; some as young as 4 years old! According to experts, obesity is the biggest risk factor; 50 percent of obese children develop a fatty liver. According to Dr. Naim Alkhouri, director of the Inherited Metabolic Liver Disease Clinic at Cleveland Children's Clinic, “Obesity has the same effect on the liver like alcohol”. The liver of someone with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease looks nearly identical to someone with alcohol-induced liver damage. No parent would allow their child’s health to be harmed by alcohol, but many are unaware of the devastating effects of excess sugar. Excess weight around the torso is most harmful, because this is where your liver and other important organs reside. Eating excess carbohydrate causes the development of insulin resistance. This is the metabolic disorder that drives weight gain and the development of fatty liver disease. People with insulin resistance typically feel very hungry and have powerful cravings for carbs and sugar. This makes it increasingly difficult to stick to a healthy diet and be able to lose weight. There is an easy to follow meal plan and recipes for the whole family to enjoy in my book Fatty Liver: You Can Reverse It. Reference