MORE AND MORE PEOPLE NEED LIVER TRANSPLANTS BECAUSE OF OBESITY

INTRO TO OBESITY

Obesity is a significant global health issue, characterized by the accumulation of excess body fat that negatively impacts one’s health. With worldwide rates having nearly tripled since 1975, this strongly prevalent condition affects over 650 million adults globally and is associated with numerous comorbidities including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and psychological disorders. The condition is typically diagnosed using body mass index (BMI) measurements, though this metric has limitations in assessing individual health risk.

The causes of obesity involve a combination of genetic, environmental, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors. While caloric imbalance—consuming more energy than expended—serves as the fundamental mechanism, research increasingly recognizes the multifaceted nature of obesity, including influences from gut microbes, endocrine disruptors, sleep patterns, stress, and even social networks.

This complexity necessitates comprehensive approaches to prevention and treatment, encompassing dietary modifications, physical activity, behavioral therapy, pharmacological interventions, and in some cases, bariatric surgery.

THE STUDY

Figures from Erasmus MC teaching hospital reveal a dramatic increase in liver transplants among individuals with obesity, with numbers climbing from just a handful in 2017 to 50 operations in 2024. The Rotterdam facility, which serves as the primary center for these procedures, has documented this concerning tripling trend over a seven-year period.

According to surgeon Harry Janssen, while public awareness often connects excess weight primarily to heart disease and diabetes, obesity can also lead to fatty liver disease with potentially severe consequences. As he explained to broadcaster NOS, this progression of fatty liver disease can ultimately deteriorate to the point where transplantation becomes necessary, highlighting a less recognized but serious health complication associated with obesity.

Concerns have been raised by Mariël Croon of abdominal health organization MDL regarding these statistics. She emphasized that liver transplantation represents an ultimate intervention, often complicated by extensive waiting lists, making it unavailable to many patients who need it.
The MDL charity reports approximately four million Netherlands residents have fatty liver disease, frequently without their knowledge. Among these, 700,000 suffer from active liver infections that may progress to cirrhosis or liver cancer, potentially requiring transplantation.

Alcohol consumption significantly worsens liver damage. Croon notes that timely lifestyle modifications can effectively reverse liver damage, highlighting the organ’s remarkable regenerative capacity when addressed early. “The liver can heal itself if you catch problems early enough—it’s a remarkable organ that deserves proper care,” she explained.

Meanwhile, projections from the public health agency RIVM indicate that by 2050, nearly two-thirds of the Dutch population will be overweight.

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