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SGPGIMS opens dedicated clinic for fatty liver, obesity care
Prof Amit Goyal, head of hepatology, outlined the clinic’s multi-layered services, including body-fat assessment via bioimpedance analysis, fibroscan for early detection of liver fibrosis, diet and lifestyle counselling, exercise and metabolic monitoring, medical therapy including newly approved weight-loss drugs, and endoscopic or surgical interventions for advanced cases.
Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow, has launched a specialised clinic for the management of fatty liver disease and obesity, conditions rising rapidly across India. The clinic, inaugurated on Thursday at the Advanced Diabetic Centre (D-Block, 3rd floor), will operate every Thursday, bringing together liver specialists, endocrinologists and diet experts under one roof to streamline patient care.
Prof Amit Goyal, head of hepatology, outlined the clinic’s multi-layered services, including body-fat assessment via bioimpedance analysis, fibroscan for early detection of liver fibrosis, diet and lifestyle counselling, exercise and metabolic monitoring, medical therapy including newly approved weight-loss drugs, and endoscopic or surgical interventions for advanced cases.
Once mainly seen in heavy drinkers, fatty liver disease now affects a large portion of the population. Studies estimate that 30-35% of Indian adults may already have the condition, while one in four citizens is overweight or obese, according to the National Family Health Survey. Doctors link the rise to high-calorie, low-fibre diets, sedentary lifestyles, and increasing cases of diabetes and insulin resistance.
Professor Radha Krishna Dhiman, director of SGPGIMS, warned, “More than half of all obese or diabetic patients have fatty liver disease, often without knowing it. If left untreated, it can progress to liver inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer.”
Paediatric specialists report increasing cases among school-age children, attributing the shift to junk food consumption and lack of physical activity.
Dr Gaurav Pandey, gastroenterologist, cautioned, “People think fatty liver is harmless, but by the time symptoms appear, liver damage has often already begun.” Chief medical superintendent Prof Devendra Gupta stressed the importance of timely testing through ultrasound and fibroscan to prevent long-term complications.
Prof Subhash Yadav, endocrinology expert, added, “Obesity and liver disease are two sides of the same coin. Without weight control and metabolic management, liver disorders cannot be prevented.”
