A multisociety Delphi consensus statement on new fatty liver disease nomenclature
Published in Hepatology, this global consensus statement brought together 236 experts and patient advocates from 56 countries to review the terminology used for fatty liver disease. The aim was to reduce stigma and improve clarity in diagnosis.
Key findings and outcomes:
Many experts and advocates agreed that the existing terms NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) and NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) were problematic
Over 60% felt that the words “non-alcoholic” and “fatty” were stigmatising
A new umbrella term was chosen: steatotic liver disease (SLD), covering all forms of fat-related liver conditions
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) was introduced as the replacement for NAFLD
People with no metabolic risk factors and no known cause are now categorised as having cryptogenic SLD
A new group, MetALD (metabolic and alcohol-related/associated liver disease), was created for people who meet criteria for MASLD but also consume moderate to higher amounts of alcohol
The term steatohepatitis is retained as an important medical concept
New diagnostic criteria require at least one of five cardiometabolic risk factors to be present
This consensus is a major step towards replacing stigmatising language, improving awareness, and helping health professionals identify and support patients more effectively.