A new study has revealed a startling connection between prolonged sedentary behaviour and severe liver disease in young people. Conducted by Professor Andrew Agbaje of the University of Eastern Finland, the research highlights the significant health risks posed by sitting or being inactive for more than six hours a day.
The study, presented at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, ENDO 2024, in Boston, USA, and published in the journal Nature’s Gut and Liver, found that children who lead sedentary lifestyles are at a much higher risk of developing metabolic-associated steatotic (fatty) liver disease (MASLD) and liver cirrhosis by the time they reach young adulthood.
MASLD is a harmful condition where fat accumulates in the liver, not due to alcohol consumption, but linked to components of metabolic syndrome, such as obesity and high blood pressure.
Professor Agbaje stated, “We found that this relationship between sedentariness and liver damage is likely causal.” This conclusion was drawn from a long-term analysis of a large UK birth cohort, where participants underwent liver ultrasound scans at ages 17 and 24 to check for fatty liver and liver scarring.
The study observed that, on average, children spent six hours daily in sedentary activities, which increased to nine hours by young adulthood. The findings showed that for every additional half-hour of sedentary behaviour beyond six hours per day, the odds of developing fatty liver disease before age 25 increased by 15 percent.
Moreover, this increase in sedentary time corresponded with a decrease in light-intensity physical activity, reducing active time by about three hours daily by young adulthood. Conversely, engaging in light-intensity physical activity for more than three hours per day significantly reduced the risk of severe fatty liver disease, with each additional half-hour decreasing the odds by 33 percent.
Professor Agbaje emphasised the importance of balancing sedentary time with physical activity, stating, “We believe that this alteration in sedentary time versus time for light-intensity physical activity sets the stage for disease initiation and progression”.
This study underscores the critical need for children and young adults to incorporate more physical activity into their daily routines to prevent serious liver conditions and promote overall health.
