Unhealthy eating habits during lockdown could lead to an increase in cases of non-alcohol related steatohepatitis (NASH), a serious form of non-alcohol related fatty liver disease, warned the British Liver Trust.

It issued the warning after a YouGov poll it commissioned showed that 42% of people in the UK thought they had put on weight since 23 March.

The trust said NASH affected more than three million people in the UK but added that this figure was likely to be an underestimate because of a lack of symptoms in the early stages.

What is NASH?

NASH) is an advanced form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD is caused by buildup of fat in the liver.

When this buildup causes inflammation and damage, it is known as NASH, which can lead to scarring of the liver.