How to recognize signs of nonalcoholic liver disease

When people hear about liver disease, most think it comes from excess alcohol consumption. However, one in four adults in the U.S. have a liver disease that is nonalcoholic, making it the most common type there is.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease happens when too much fat builds up in the liver. Advanced cases of this disease are mostly seen in people who are overweight, have diabetes or have high cholesterol, and they generally have recognizable symptoms. But for some people, the signs are less evident, says Dr. Abinash Achkekar, a resident cardiologist at the University of New Mexico Hospital.

"Most people don't feel anything at first, but some may feel tired or sick to your stomach, or have pain in the upper right part of their belly," Achkekar said. "In more serious cases, people mi