Researchers have identified an interesting link between fatty liver disease and personality disorders. They are saying individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) face a thrice higher risk of personality disorders.

The research team from the University of Birmingham also made an enchanting finding that folks with NAFLD, who need to take care of a careful weight-reduction plan and exercise regime to administer the condition, ceaselessly exhibit uncontrolled eating behaviors. The findings were published in BMC Gastroenterology.

“Finding an increased prevalence of personality disorders in NAFLD patients is especially striking, signifying that it isn’t a difficulty related to all liver disease, but just those with NAFLD,” Dr. Jonathan Catling, a co-author of the study, said in a news release.

NAFLD is essentially the most common type of chronic liver disease, caused as a result of excessive accumulation of fat in liver cells. It’s related to aspects similar to obesity, insulin resistance and high blood sugar.

Patients often don’t show any obvious symptoms, but some people may experience fatigue and discomfort within the abdomen. When the disease progresses, it could possibly cause liver damage and cirrhosis, especially in individuals with an increased risk of diabetes, heart attacks and strokes.

The treatment strategy mainly involves lifestyle interventions, including exercise and weight-reduction plan. Nonetheless, patients often fail to make the behavioral changes obligatory for the treatment. The newest study examined the aspects that influence patients’ responses toward the treatment regimes.

Researchers gathered data from 96 participants who were split into three groups – NAFLD patients, non-NAFLD liver disease patients, and healthy people. The eating and exercising behaviors were assessed from questionnaires.

The team also examined participant’s locus of control – the extent of control they consider they’ve on their very own lives. Patients with a high internal locus of control usually tend to shed pounds and people with a high external locus of control are less more likely to persist with weight-reduction plan and exercise regime.

Based on the researchers, patients with NAFLD, very similar to individuals coping with substance abuse disorders, have heightened external locus of control (LoC). This implies they’ve difficulty making and maintaining changes to their weight-reduction plan and exercise routine essential for controlling disease progression.

“Three aspects were found to be significant by group; cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating and SAPAS rating (a measure of personality disorders). An association between personality disorders and NAFLD was identified,” the researchers wrote.

“Importantly, it appears to not be a general mental health issue, as neither anxiety nor depression was found to be significantly different between the groups – despite each psychiatric disorders often being related to chronic liver disease,” Dr. Catling said.

Researchers call for screenings for personality disorders amongst NAFLD patients in order that mental health disorders may be treated well before they influence the patient’s weight-reduction plan and exercise.

“Our findings suggest an urgent need to look at attitudes towards weight-reduction plan and exercise in order that we will higher understand the best way to motivate NAFLD patients and deliver simpler treatment – stopping disease reoccurrence after liver transplantation,” Dr. Catling added.