Abstract

Childhood obesity is a growing public health problem worldwide and is associated with multiple metabolic disorders. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome and the most common cause of chronic liver disease in pediatric populations in developed countries. MASLD encompasses a variety of clinical and pathological entities, ranging from simple hepatic steatosis to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), which can progress to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and terminal liver disease. Pediatric MASLD prevalence ranges from 3-10% in the general population but increases to 34-38% in children with obesity and up to 70-80% in severe obesity. Insulin resistance is the central pathogenic factor, creating a bidirectional cycle with steatosis. Genetic variants such as PNPLA3 and GCKR modulate individual susceptibility to hepatic fat accumulation and fibrosis

Keywords

metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, obesity, associated factors, pediatric