Why in the news
Apollo Hospitals released its Health of the Nation 2025 report on World Health Day. It shows non-communicable diseases (NCDs) starting early, worsening with age and peaking after menopause, while fatty liver is now mostly metabolic in origin.
Key facts
- School and college screening: Apollo SHINE Foundation checked 2.85 lakh students aged 3 to 17 and college students in six States and 10 cities.
- Fatty liver: among 2.5 lakh people screened, 65% had it, and 85% of those were non-alcoholic.
- New name: Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), driven by obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol.
Youth findings
| Group | Finding |
|---|
| Primary school children | 8% overweight |
| College students | 28% overweight; 19% pre-hypertensive; 2% elevated blood glucose |
| High school students | 9% pre-hypertensive |
Women before and after menopause
| Condition | Pre-menopause | Post-menopause |
|---|
| Diabetes | 14% | 40% |
| Obesity | 76% | 86% |
| Fatty liver | 54% | 70% |
| Hypertension | 15% | 40% |
About fatty liver
- Excess fat (triglycerides) collects in liver cells, often with few symptoms, and can cause inflammation and damage.
- NAFLD: fat build-up not caused by heavy drinking.
- NASH: a severer form of NAFLD, with inflammation and damage as well.
Way forward
- Start NCD prevention in early childhood with screening, nutrition guidance and lifestyle changes.
- Use a gender-specific approach for post-menopausal risks.
- Run awareness drives to correct the belief that fatty liver comes only from alcohol.
- Integrate youth health education, early detection and menopause support in policy.
Exam angle
- Report by Apollo Hospitals; launched on World Health Day.
- MASLD, NAFLD and NASH are the terms to know.