October is National Liver Awareness Month LIVERWISE: Healthy Liver, Healthy Life! A Groundbreaking Initiative to Combat Liver Disease

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National Alliance for Hispanic Health

Oct 24, 2024, 08:00 ET

Disease prevalent among all age groups with recent growth among children making it as common as asthma.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- "An estimated 50 million Americans have fatty liver disease and more than 90% of those are undiagnosed. When left untreated it can progress to liver scarring (fibrosis), cirrhosis (permanent damage of the liver) which can lead to cancer, and end-stage liver disease," said Jane L. Delgado, PhD, MS, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health (the Alliance), the leading advocate for the health of Hispanic communities. She announced, "Today, the Alliance has launched LIVERWISE: Healthy Liver, Healthy Life!, a first-of-its-kind program designed to expand and advance education, outreach, and public awareness related to liver disease, with a particular focus on MASLD (Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease)."

MASLD formerly known as NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) is a chronic disease that affects millions of Americans and is more common in people who are overweight or obese or have type 2 diabetes. MASLD incidence increases with age. However, of great concern is that it has been increasing in children with 5 to 10 percent of all U.S. children now having MASLD – making it as common as asthma. For Hispanic children and teens who are obese the prevalence of MASLD is even higher¹.

Despite the threat, until now there has been a significant gap in dedicated CDC resources to combat this growing health crisis. LIVERWISE will help bridge that gap by strengthening the science base for prevention, education, and public health awareness, leading to meaningful outcomes for all. The program will place an emphasis on Hispanic and other underserved communities, which have a greater risk for liver disease.

LIVERWISE: Healthy Liver, Healthy Life! is more than just an educational program—it will be a comprehensive approach to improving health for all. The program will focus on data collection, education, and public awareness activities that support evidence-based clinical and population-level strategies. These efforts will ensure that individuals in the targeted communities receive the information and resources they need to prevent and manage liver disease effectively.

National Advisory Committee and Regional Coordinating Centers

LIVERWISE will be guided by a National Advisory Committee co-chaired by esteemed experts in the field, Dr. Robert Lustig and Dr. Mauricio Lisker-Melman. Additionally, the program will establish four Regional Coordinating Centers (RCS) across the United States, each providing community-based advice and serving on the National Advisory Group. The RCS locations are as follows:

Eastern RCS: Boriken Neighborhood Health Center (BNHC)
Midwestern RCS: Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition (CHHC)
Southern RCS: Project Vida Health Center (PVHC)
Western RCS: Family Health Centers of San Diego (FHCSD)

These centers will play a crucial role in the program's efforts, by ensuring that the specific needs of communities across different regions are met.

A Call to Action
As liver disease continues to affect millions, particularly within Hispanic and other underserved communities, the launch of LIVERWISE marks a significant step forward in public health. The Alliance is committed to ensuring that LIVERWISE serves as a model for how tailored education and outreach can lead to better health outcomes for all.

For more information about LIVERWISE: Healthy Liver, Healthy Life!, please visit www.healthyamericas.org or contact Adolph P. Falcón at [email protected] or 202 797-4341.

This project is supported through financial assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) funding 100 percent of the award totaling $375,000. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

About the National Alliance for Hispanic Health (The Alliance)
The Alliance is the nation's foremost science-based source of information and trusted advocate for the health of Hispanics in the United States with a mission to achieve the best health for all. For more information visit us at www.healthyamericas.org

¹ Maxwell SL, Price JC, Perito ER, Rosenthal P, Wojcicki JM. Food insecurity is a risk factor for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in Latinx children. Pediatric Obesity. 2024; 19(6):e13109. doi:10.1111/ijpo.13109

SOURCE National Alliance for Hispanic Health