Steatotic Liver Disease in Older Adults: Clinical Implications and Unmet Needs

doi:10.3390/nu17132189

Review

. 2025 Jun 30;17(13):2189.

doi: 10.3390/nu17132189.

Steatotic Liver Disease in Older Adults: Clinical Implications and Unmet Needs

Daniel Clayton-Chubb^{1

2

3}, William W Kemp^{1

2}, Ammar Majeed^{1

2}, Peter W Lange^{4

5}, Jessica A Fitzpatrick^{1

2}, Karl Vaz^{1

2}, John S Lubel^{1

2

6}, Alexander D Hodge^{3

7

8}, Joanne Ryan⁹, John J McNeil⁹, Alice J Owen⁹, Robyn L Woods⁹, Stuart K Roberts^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Gastroenterology, Alfred Health, Melbourne 3004, Australia.
² School of Translational Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne 3004, Australia.
³ Department of Gastroenterology, Eastern Health, Box Hill 3128, Australia.
⁴ Department of Geriatrics and General Medicine, Werribee Mercy Hospital, Werribee 3030, Australia.
⁵ Department of Aged Care and Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3050, Australia.
⁶ Department of Gastroenterology, Northern Health, Epping 3076, Australia.
⁷ School of Health and Biomedical Science, RMIT University, Melbourne 3083, Australia.
⁸ Eastern Clinical School, Monash University, Box Hill 3128, Australia.
⁹ School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne 3004, Australia.

PMID: 40647291
PMCID: PMC12251929
DOI: 10.3390/nu17132189

Review

Steatotic Liver Disease in Older Adults: Clinical Implications and Unmet Needs

Daniel Clayton-Chubb et al. Nutrients. 2025.

. 2025 Jun 30;17(13):2189.

doi: 10.3390/nu17132189.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Gastroenterology, Alfred Health, Melbourne 3004, Australia.
² School of Translational Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne 3004, Australia.
³ Department of Gastroenterology, Eastern Health, Box Hill 3128, Australia.
⁴ Department of Geriatrics and General Medicine, Werribee Mercy Hospital, Werribee 3030, Australia.
⁵ Department of Aged Care and Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3050, Australia.
⁶ Department of Gastroenterology, Northern Health, Epping 3076, Australia.
⁷ School of Health and Biomedical Science, RMIT University, Melbourne 3083, Australia.
⁸ Eastern Clinical School, Monash University, Box Hill 3128, Australia.
⁹ School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne 3004, Australia.

PMID: 40647291
PMCID: PMC12251929
DOI: 10.3390/nu17132189

Abstract

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the commonest cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Its incidence has been increasing rapidly, alongside the growing epidemics of type 2 diabetes mellitus and overweight/obesity. Global population age has also been increasing in parallel, and predictions indicate there will be more than 2 billion persons aged over 65 by the year 2050. The interplay between MASLD and other health conditions of older persons has been a focus of recent research. In this narrative review, we aim to describe its prevalence; clinical and sociodemographic associations; and outcomes for older persons, all of which are of significant importance when considering public health messaging as well as screening and counselling individual older adults.

Keywords: MASLD; NAFLD; ageing; cardiovascular disease; hepatology; lifestyle; liver; metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease; older adults.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

1. Addison T. Observations on fatty degeneration of the liver. Guys Hosp. Rep. 1836;1:485.
1. Schaffner F., Thaler H. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Prog. Liver Dis. 1986;8:283–298. - PubMed
1. Ludwig J., Viggiano T.R., Mcgill D.B., Oh B. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: Mayo Clinic experiences with a hitherto unnamed disease. Mayo Clin. Proc. 1980;55:434–438. doi: 10.1016/S0025-6196(24)00530-5. - DOI - PubMed
1. Marchesini G., Brizi M., Morselli-Labate A.M., Bianchi G., Bugianesi E., McCullough A.J., Forlani G., Melchionda N. Association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with insulin resistance. Am. J. Med. 1999;107:450–455. doi: 10.1016/S0002-9343(99)00271-5. - DOI - PubMed
1. Boutari C., Mantzoros C.S. A 2022 update on the epidemiology of obesity and a call to action: As its twin COVID-19 pandemic appears to be receding, the obesity and dysmetabolism pandemic continues to rage on. Metabolism. 2022;133:155217. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2022.155217. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

Actions

MeSH terms

Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources
- MDPI
- PubMed Central
Medical
- MedlinePlus Health Information

[1] Addison T. Observations on fatty degeneration of the liver. Guys Hosp. Rep. 1836;1:485.

[2] Addison T. Observations on fatty degeneration of the liver. Guys Hosp. Rep. 1836;1:485.

[3] Schaffner F., Thaler H. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Prog. Liver Dis. 1986;8:283–298. - PubMed

[4] Schaffner F., Thaler H. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Prog. Liver Dis. 1986;8:283–298. - PubMed

[5] Ludwig J., Viggiano T.R., Mcgill D.B., Oh B. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: Mayo Clinic experiences with a hitherto unnamed disease. Mayo Clin. Proc. 1980;55:434–438. doi: 10.1016/S0025-6196(24)00530-5. - DOI - PubMed

[6] Ludwig J., Viggiano T.R., Mcgill D.B., Oh B. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: Mayo Clinic experiences with a hitherto unnamed disease. Mayo Clin. Proc. 1980;55:434–438. doi: 10.1016/S0025-6196(24)00530-5. - DOI - PubMed

[7] Marchesini G., Brizi M., Morselli-Labate A.M., Bianchi G., Bugianesi E., McCullough A.J., Forlani G., Melchionda N. Association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with insulin resistance. Am. J. Med. 1999;107:450–455. doi: 10.1016/S0002-9343(99)00271-5. - DOI - PubMed

[8] Marchesini G., Brizi M., Morselli-Labate A.M., Bianchi G., Bugianesi E., McCullough A.J., Forlani G., Melchionda N. Association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with insulin resistance. Am. J. Med. 1999;107:450–455. doi: 10.1016/S0002-9343(99)00271-5. - DOI - PubMed

[9] Boutari C., Mantzoros C.S. A 2022 update on the epidemiology of obesity and a call to action: As its twin COVID-19 pandemic appears to be receding, the obesity and dysmetabolism pandemic continues to rage on. Metabolism. 2022;133:155217. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2022.155217. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[10] Boutari C., Mantzoros C.S. A 2022 update on the epidemiology of obesity and a call to action: As its twin COVID-19 pandemic appears to be receding, the obesity and dysmetabolism pandemic continues to rage on. Metabolism. 2022;133:155217. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2022.155217. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

Steatotic Liver Disease in Older Adults: Clinical Implications and Unmet Needs

Affiliations

Steatotic Liver Disease in Older Adults: Clinical Implications and Unmet Needs

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Similar articles

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Medical

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Similar articles

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

Related information

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Medical