Types of Fatty Liver Disease

Fatty liver is grouped by its cause and by how much damage is present.

By cause

• MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease). Fat in the liver along with metabolic risks such as excess weight, diabetes, high cholesterol or blood pressure. Formerly called NAFLD.
• Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD). Fatty liver from regular heavy drinking.
• MetALD. Both metabolic risks and higher-than-low alcohol intake are present.
• Other causes. Certain medicines, hepatitis C, rapid weight loss, pregnancy-related liver fat, and rare genetic conditions.

By severity

• Simple fatty liver (steatosis). Fat is present with little or no inflammation. Usually harmless and often reversible.
• Steatohepatitis (MASH, formerly NASH). Fat with inflammation and liver cell injury. It can progress.
• Fibrosis. Scarring has started.
• Cirrhosis. Advanced scarring that changes the liver's structure.

Ultrasound grades

Reports often say grade 1, 2 or 3. This describes how bright the liver looks and roughly how much fat is present. It does not by itself show inflammation or scarring, so doctors may add a FibroScan or blood scores.

Lean fatty liver

Fatty liver in people with normal body weight, more common among South Asians.

Ayurvedic framing

Ayurveda groups related conditions under medoroga and liver disorders (yakrit vikara). These are interpretive and do not match modern categories exactly.

Your doctor can tell you which type applies to you.